


A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (When You're Fast Asleep)

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: BAE2017, Bullying, Discrimination, M/M, Slurs, Strong Language, stalking - not in a creepy way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 07:37:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11031621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: They say that dreams are supposed to be your escape from reality – an alternate universe that made you happy and made you forget all your troubles and all your woes, and it was for a short time. But now, why is it whenever Baekhyun dreams, all it does is cause him pain?





	A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (When You're Fast Asleep)

**Author's Note:**

> AUTHOR: [cosmicruler (LJ)](https://cosmicruler.livejournal.com/) // [exocentric (AFF)](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/994333)  
> PROMPT #: 683  
> 
> 
> Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Author's Note: HI! This might not be what the prompter expected but ahh here it is! Lots of time skips (please bear with me)! PS. I invented some stuff here that don’t really exist in the HP world just to make the story work. Enjoy!

   
“Baekhyun! Aren’t you watching the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin today?” Jongdae’s loud voice echoes off of corridor walls.  
  
  
  
“I’ll take a rain check.” He replies.  
  
  
  
“C'mon, loosen up a bit Head Boy, don’t you wanna see our quidditch team kick that sorry house’s ass?”  
  
  
  
“I’m not going Jongdae, I already told you that.”  
  
“Alright fine, you won’t watch the match but you still need to be there right? Keep the students in line and all, that’s part of your Head Boy duties isn’t it?”  
  
“I just really don’t feel like going to the pitch today; plus, I have to study.”  
  
“Baekhy-“  
  
“You’re the one who told me to loosen up a bit right? I’m sure I can miss this one thing I have to do and stop being so responsible for once.”  
  
Jongdae falls silent at this, before he finally speaks up, “Okay, I’ll get going now,”  
  
And Baekhyun takes this as his cue to continue walking down the corridor to the dungeons, eager to get to the empty Slytherin common room where he can finally cry out the tears he’s been trying to hold in for so long.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
It is when he is eight years old he starts having them – the dreams.  
  
Baekhyun promised himself that he’d stay up until 12 am to formally welcome his 4th birthday. But just when the clock struck 11:37, he felt an overwhelming heaviness wash over his eyelids. “Just a couple of minutes…” he said to himself and drifted off to sleep.  
  
That night is when Baekhyun first dreams. Baekhyun sees a bright flash of light as bright as the sun coming from behind his eyes and opens them and finds that no, it wasn’t a big ball of gas in his eyes, but the wide toothy grin of a kid probably the same age as he was with big eyes and even bigger ears.  
  
“You’re awake! Finally!” the boy says albeit too loudly right in his face. He plops right beside him and it is when Baekhyun finally takes in his surroundings – they were in a park, green grass dotted with different colored flowers; there was a playground in the near distance but there we no kids playing, maybe because the sun was already beginning to set and the pinpricks of light in the night sky were getting more and more visible.  
  
“I was waiting for you to wake up. Isn’t the grass too itchy to sleep on?”  
  
Baekhyun rubs at his eyes, still too groggy and disoriented to reply,  
  
“So, what’s your name? I’m Chanyeol by the way!” the kid says enthusiastically and holds his hand out for a handshake.  
  
Four year old Baekhyun was confused. How did he get here? Why is this other kid here?  
  
But even with all these questions running through his head, he smiled and took the other boy’s hand.  
  
“Oh, um I’m Baekhyun. Um, Chanyeol d-“  
  
“Baekhyun!” A woman’s high pitched scream comes from their right. “Baekhyun! Have you been here all this time?! We’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why did you run off like that?! What were you thinking?!” Baekhyun’s mom scolds at him as she picks him up from the ground by his arm.  
  
“Yuri, Yuri please-“ Baekhyun’s father tries to pry her fingers off of tiny Baekhyun.  
  
“Lucas! How are you so calm about this?! You know how dangerous it is! Think about what could’ve happened if-“  
  
"I know, I know. But we can't do this here. Let's get home, and just be thankful that Baekhyun is safe. Baek, come on bud, let's go home."  
  
Baekhyun’s mother didn’t stop talking though but they still walked their way to their parked car.  
  
Chubby Chanyeol witnesses all this happening before his very own eyes, he wasn’t just intrigued by their conversation, but the strange coat that reached the ground Baekhyun's father was wearing too. It is only when he sees their retreating backs does Chanyeol wake up from his reverie and gets up. Or at least he tries to, with his chubby limbs.  
  
"Baekhyun! Baekhyun wait! You forgot something!" He shouted.  
  
Baekhyun turns his head at the calling of his name, his downcast eyes looking up at the mention of his name. He tries to stop himself in his tracks but- "Baekhyun, let's go."  
  
Chanyeol runs, he runs as fast as his legs could make him go. In the near distance, he sees Baekhyun getting ushered into the backseat of their car. "Baekhyun! You forgot your" he doesn't get to finish though, as Baekhyun's father shuts the car door "... toy."  
  
Baekhyun’s father goes to walk around the car to the driver’s seat but Chanyeol catches his attention first.  
"M-Mister, could you please give this back to Baekhyun?" He reaches into his pocket and... it's not there?! Horror fills Chanyeol’s every being. Baekhyun's toy isn't in his pocket! "Oh no!" Chanyeol immediately drops down on his knees and looks for it in the dim light of twilight, his hand feeling through the grass in search of something cold and metallic.  
  
He is crawling, getting his hands dirty and his shorts torn but he has to find Baekhyun's toy. The desperation was clawing at him, and he could feel his eyes welling up in tears, how could he be so clumsy?! It seemed very special to Baekhyun and he had lost it.  
  
It is when two minutes pass looking for Baekhyun’s toy does Chanyeol feel a hand on his back, confused, he turns around and sees Baekhyun’s father standing over him. "You could return it to Baekhyun tomorrow, okay? It's getting dark now, we have to leave, and your mommy is looking for you already."  
  
The last one was a lie, he didn’t even know the kid, let alone his mother, but Mr. Byun was so tired already; with work then suddenly getting a call from your wife screaming into the phone that "Our son is missing!"  
  
It was a hectic day and he badly just wanted to rest.  
  
Suddenly, the chilling wind of the night was seeping into him and he decided that it was time to go. Grabbing his bike, he cycled back to home.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Baekhyun~ Baekhyun, sweetie, wake up." He hears.  
  
He opens his eyes and sees his mother smiling sweetly at him.  
  
He gets up and yawns, his brown hair sticking in all directions and his eyes laced in morning glory.  
  
Baekhyun gets up in a sitting position and stretches his limbs. He feels tired, very tired, as though he spent hours on the playground the other day (which he didn’t because his parents were already outside the daycare center before he even had the chance to step one foot out of the classroom.  
  
“Baekhyun, honey, you fell asleep on the couch last night.” Followed by a tsk. “But ah, I shouldn’t scold you, it’s your special day after all.”  
Wait, I fell asleep on the couch? So, it was all just a dream? Who was that boy? Why was he in my dreams? Why did it all feel so real? These questions fill Baekhyun’s mind.  
“Mommy, I had a dream last night.”  
  
“What was it about sweetie?”  
  
“I-“  
  
He doesn’t even get to get one word in as he hears the loud voice of his father singing. “Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you~ Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday Baekhyunnie!”  
Baekhyun’s father enters into the living room wearing a lopsided party hat on his head bringing a cake on one hand and a miniscule version of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes’ exploding whizz poppers in the other, they weren’t enough to blow up the house though, they were just right size to pop in multitudes of colors and for Baekhyun to scream in happiness.  
  
“Daddy!” He screams, and runs to hug his father, his eyes turning into crescents with joy.  
  
He didn’t bother with his dream from last night anymore; not with is cake, his presents, and his parents’ jokes and stories to keep him distracted for the rest of the day.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It is a few months after the first and Baekhyun dreams again.  
  
This time, he sees a man.  
  
This man was tall, and strong, with dark gray hair and jet black eyes. He wore a regal looking robe, like what his father wears only it was in a royal shade of scarlet and it looked more like a cape on him.  
  
He looked so powerful and Baekhyun suddenly felt scared, afraid that this stranger might hurt him.  
  
But his fears quickly die out like matches getting doused with water when the man turns to him and smiles.  
  
And it wasn’t like any other smile.  
  
This man smiled with his entire face – his mouth curled upwards with his bright teeth showing, his eyes so bright and full of joy that Baekhyun doesn’t know why he felt scared in the first place.  
  
Baekhyun feels his heart race when the stranger’s mouth opens up wide and he lets out a huge laugh. His deep voice breaking out into a hearty laugh and his eyes turning into crescents made Baekhyun feel like laughing too – and so he did. This man was happiness in human form, he concluded.  
  
The man suddenly stops laughing and looks at him right in the eye. His piercing gaze no more looking frightening, but looked warm. It looked like melting chocolate and thick honey and it was looking right at him.  
  
The man starts walking closer to him and Baekhyun doesn’t feel the least bit intimidated at all; instead, he welcomes him, he  _wants_  him to get closer.  
  
When the man is so close to him that he felt like he could hear the other’s heartbeat, Baekhyun wakes up.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As Baekhyun’s dreams start coming, so do his magical abilities.  
  
It starts out small – like not wanting to get up in the morning for breakfast yet so makes the curtains close; to making all the lights in the house switch on because he didn’t want to go to bed yet.  
  
He accidentally makes the lights go off though but that doesn’t stop his father from calling him to scold him.  
  
“Baekhyun!” he father’s voice booms throughout the house.  
  
His father finds him on the seat near his window, he had his head buried in between his legs and he was crying.  
  
He softens, he didn’t mean for his child to cry, and also, it wasn’t like Baekhyun had any control of what he did in the first place.  
  
“Baekhyun, I’m sorry. We’re sorry honey, we shouldn’t have yelled at you.” He walks over to where Baekhyun was. “Hey Baek, do you see that bright star over there? It’s called Sirius. Legend has it that Harry Potter’s godfather was named after it. Isn’t that cool?”  
  
Baekhyun whips his head up to look. “You know the big dipper right? They teach you that in muggle school?” Baekhyun nods. “Well, that’s that right there.”  
  
“Daddy, was the big dipper always there?”  
  
“Yes it was, baby.”  
  
“But why don’t the stars separate?”  
  
Mister Byun gets him up on his lap to tell him more about his newfound interest. “Well they do a tiny bit, as they move but they always end up together again to form constellations. I don’t really know much about stars sweetie but I guess all I can say is that some stars are just meant to be with others because that’s where they belong.”  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
Baekhyun still dreams, but never of the man again.  
  
In his dreams is the boy from his first dream.  
  
He dreams that they meet in the supermarket on a weekend when their mothers are out for groceries and they decided to tag along.  
  
“Baekhyun!” Baekhyun whips his head to where he hears the calling from.  
  
He feels the immediate warming of his heart when he sees the boy with big eyes and bigger ears again – Chanyeol, his name is Chanyeol, even in his dreams he doesn’t forget.  
  
“Chanyeol! What are you doing here?”  
  
“I came with my mother, she doesn’t have work today, so I want to spend time with her! And you?”  
  
“I came with my mom too!”  
  
“Hey Baek, do you wanna go get some ice cream?”  
  
“Sure!” how could he say no to his two most favorite things in the world?  
  
  
  
  
   
In another dream, he dreams that they’re sitting on a swing set in the park.  
  
Chanyeol was crying and Baekhyun didn’t know what to do. “Chanyeol? What’s wrong?”  
  
“My mom, I-I think she’s mad at me. Sh-she called me down to keep my toys a-and I didn’t want to yet so I got angry and I don’t know what happened Baekhyun, b-but there was suddenly fire and the house started smelling like smoke. W-we put it out but the look on her face, in her eyes…” Chanyeol didn’t finish but cried his eyes out instead.  
  
“Chanyeol, none of that was your fault.”  
  
“No, Baek I could feel it. I can’t explain, I just know I had something to do with it. I-I’m scared.”  
  
Baekhyun wanted to tell him he’s had experiences like that too, but would Chanyeol believe him? It was probably a lot to take in for a muggle moreso a child the same age he was, so Baekhyun said nothing and just rubbed at his back for reassurance and support.  
  
“What are you scared of?” no answer, so Baekhyun tries a different approach at comforting his crying bestfriend. “C’mon lighten up Yeol! I’m sure your mother couldn’t stay mad at you! I-I mean look at you, you’re like a big ball of sunshine and happiness!” Chanyeol wasn’t that fat, he was just a little chubby for a nine year old, still though, Baekhyun pinched at the pudge on arms, “Literally.”  
  
And they started breaking into fit of laughter.  
  
The dream slowly faded into black; but before Baekhyun could return to his slumber, he heard a voice that sounded exactly like Chanyeol's say, “By the way Baek, I have to tell you something…”  
   
   
Baekhyun dreams of Chanyeol a lot; sometimes, he can’t remember what his dreams are about, all he remembers is that Chanyeol is in them, that he is in all of them.  
  
He once dreamed of a slightly older Chanyeol playing Quidditch, he’s lost weight and grew in height, but Baekhyun could tell it was him, with what the way his fingers combed through his gray hair in frustration; he was a star, even from afar Baekhyun could tell for sure.  
  
Baekhyun isn’t sure what to make of his dreams. He didn’t even know who Chanyeol was, or if he was even a real person, but with all the dreams he’s had of him, he feels like he’s known him all his life.  
  
He decides to tell his parents one day.  
  
Maybe they knew who Chanyeol was.  
  
Baekhyun enters the living room already in his puppy print pajamas where the hearth cackled and the faint sounds of people next door doing karaoke could be heard through the walls.  
  
His father was reading a book on the explanations of how muggles make sense of magic, and his mother was going through her patients’ files.  
  
“Mommy~” he says as he climbs on his mother’s lap.  
  
With the entry of their only child, both parents set aside everything they’re doing.  
  
“Daddy, mommy, I’ve been having dreams.”  
  
“What kind of dreams sweetheart? Nightmares?”  
  
“No, they aren’t nightmares. They’re happy dreams.” Baekhyun yawned at that and both parents cooed at how cute he looked – they created an angel.  
  
“What are they about sweetheart?”  
  
“In my dreams, there’s always this boy in it. His name is Chanyeol and he is my friend!”  
  
“He’s in all your dreams baby?”  
  
“Yes, all my dreams! He is kind, and funny but I’ve never met him ever. Do you know who Chanyeol is?” Confusion etched across both parents’ features, they gave each other wary looks as Baekhyun looked back and forth between them, expecting an answer from his parents.  
  
In all of Mrs. Byun’s wizarding therapy career, never has she encountered anything like this; she’s read books that claim to have been studies about things like destiny and fate but she thought that she was probably just mistaken. Baekhyun was a young wizard showing great potential at such an early age, she wouldn’t be surprised with whatever her child would suddenly figure out he could do.  
  
“Sorry baby, we don’t know who Chanyeol is, maybe he’s someone from daycare you met before and you’ve forgotten?”  
  
“No… I’m sure I’ve never met him before, well, only in my dreams. I think.” And he yawned again.  
  
“Baby you should sleep, it’s late, you still have school tomorrow.”  
  
“Okay, good night mommy good night daddy.”  
  
And they both gave him good night kisses.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
As the days go by, Baekhyun learns more and more about astrology – how they affect daily life and how they aren’t just parts of the horoscopes muggles believe so much in. So it’s no surprise that on his ninth birthday, his parents gave him one of the best birthday presents he’s ever gotten so far.  
  
They gave him a magic necklace, with a chain made out of the finest gold. But it was the pendant that stole the show – it was around three times bigger than an average coin; on its top and bottom, it was attached to the ring that surrounded it; it could be turned or even spun around and every time it would stop it would show a part of the galaxy some place far away – a meteor shower happening near mars, a supernova explosion thousands of light years away, or even just the sky right above them. The purest tears left his eyes.  
  
“It’s beautiful. Mommy, daddy, th-thank you so much, it’s the best thing ever!”  
  
“Aw anything for you baby!”  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
Baekhyun wanted to show off his new necklace but it was summertime and he didn’t know where any of his friends from school were.  
  
_Oh, I know where to go, the park! There’ll be plenty of other kids there!_  He thinks.  _I’ll be back before mommy and daddy get home from work._  
  
When he gets to the area where there were slides and swingsets for children to play in, he is disappointed when he sees that there wasn’t anyone there. I’ll just have to wait until some come along.  
  
He sat on the grass and took out his necklace from his bag and started spinning it, trying to pass time while waiting for kids he can play with.  
  
“Show me… Venus!” and he spun the pendant, and there it was planet Venus, its toxic clouds looking like soft cotton not at all like the pictures they have at school – they were so much more beautiful.  
  
The grass felt soft under his touch, it felt so clean; the cool wind was blowing at him, running through his hair, calming him.  _Just a few minutes…_  he said, and drifted off to sleep.  
Baekhyun feels himself wake and sees something obscuring his vision, but when he opens his eyes he sees that it’s not his mommy or his daddy but the wide toothy grin of a kid probably the same age as he was with big eyes and bigger ears.  
  
“You’re awake! Finally!” the boy says albeit too loudly right in his face. He plops right beside him and it is when Baekhyun finally takes in his surroundings.  
  
They were in a park, green grass dotted with different colored flowers; there was a playground in the near distance but there we no kids playing, maybe because the sun was already beginning to set and the pinpricks of light in the night sky were getting more and more visible.  
  
He remembers now, he came here to make friends.  
  
“I was waiting for you to wake up. Isn’t the grass too itchy to sleep on?”  
  
Baekhyun rubs at his eyes, still too groggy and disoriented to reply, “So, what’s your name? I’m Chanyeol by the way!” the kid says enthusiastically and holds his hand out for a handshake.  
  
_Ch-Chanyeol?!_  He looks at the boy who just spoke and he takes him in, his big eyes, his big ears, his curly hair, his chubby cheeks – this is Chanyeol!  _Is this really happening? Am I really finally meeting Chanyeol?!_  He was excited but he was nervous, what if Chanyeol would find him weird?  
  
“Oh, um I’m Baekhyun. Um, Chanyeol d-“  
  
“Baekhyun!” A woman’s high pitched scream comes from their right. “Baekhyun! Have you been here all this time?! We’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why did you run off like that?! What were you thinking?!” Baekhyun’s mom scolds at him as she picks him up from the ground by his arm.  
  
“Yuri, Yuri please-“ Baekhyun’s father tries to pry her fingers off of tiny Baekhyun.  
  
“Lucas! How are you so calm about this?! You know how dangerous it is! Think about what could’ve happened if-“  
  
"I know, I know. But we can't do this here. Let's get home, and just be thankful that Baekhyun is safe. Baek, come on bud, let's go home."  
  
Baekhyun’s mother didn’t stop talking though but they still walked their way to their parked car.  
  
Baekhyun didn’t want to leave, not when he was finally meeting Chanyeol – in person this time. He was so, so very sad, he hung his head low, feeling like crying.  
  
"Baekhyun! Baekhyun wait! You forgot something!" He hears Chanyeol shout. Baekhyun turns his head at the calling of his name, his heart beating wildly in his chest, his downcast eyes looking up at Chanyeol lumbering his way to him. He tries to stop himself in his tracks but-  
  
”Baekhyun, let's go.” Baekhyun’s parents were bringing him in to the car.  
  
"Baekhyun! You forgot your" he doesn’t hear the rest though, as his father has already shut the car door.  
  
“Baekhyun. Baekhyun look at me.” His mom says. This was the first time he’s ever heard her so… angry at him. He looks up at her with tears in his eyes.  
  
“Mommy, I’m sorry, I just wanted to play with friends.”  
  
“Baekhyun, you should never run off like that ever again. The world is a dangerous place Baekhyun, you can’t go anywhere alone. You’re still a child, you understand? It’s not safe especially not now when the lights are out and you don’t have anyone with you – no, no baby don’t cry, I’m not mad at you, I was worried baby, who knows what could’ve happened, okay? Don’t cry now.”  
  
Baekhyun nods, his hair bouncing up and down with it.  
  
At that moment, Mrs. Byun is just thankful her child was safe and sound.  
Then Baekhyun’s father gets in the car and they drive home.  
  
During their drive, when Baekhyun’s tears have halted, he thinks of Chanyeol, and wants to apologize to him, that he left so abruptly like that, he didn’t even say goodbye to his new friend.  
  
He reaches into his pocket to take out his necklace to comfort him but it’s empty.  
  
His necklace was gone!  
  
Baekhyun wait! You forgot something! He remembers Chanyeol shouting.  
  
It was probably his necklace.  
  
But even with his most favorite necklace gone, Baekhyun smiles, knowing he would be meeting Chanyeol again.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
When they meet at the grocery store, and Baekhyun is struck with a strong sense of déjà vu, he concludes two things: one, his dreams aren’t just figments of his imagination, but fragments of time written in the stars a million miles away; and that two, he wants to keep meeting Chanyeol, whether by fate or at random, over and over again.  
  
“Hey Baek, do you wanna go get some ice cream?”  
  
A smile so bright decorates his face, “Sure!” how could he say no to two of his most favorite things in the world?  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
For the next months, Baekhyun and Chanyeol grow closer to each other, they even started going to the same elementary school when the school year rolled around (by coincidence).  
  
They talked to each other a lot too and played with each other more, at school, on the playground, in the park.  
  
When Baekhyun finds himself sitting on a swing comforting a crying Chanyeol, he is at a loss with what to do.  
  
For as long as they were friends, Chanyeol never cried – not when he scraped his knee on the pavement chasing after a giggling Baekhyun, not even when another kid spilled juice over his homework that he spent all night making.  
  
“Chanyeol? What’s wrong?”  
  
“My mom, I-I think she’s mad at me. Sh-she called me down to keep my toys a-and I didn’t want to yet so I got angry and I don’t know what happened Baekhyun, b-but there was suddenly fire and the house started smelling like smoke. W-we put it out but the look on her face, in her eyes…” Chanyeol didn’t finish but cried his eyes out instead.  
  
“Chanyeol, none of that was your fault.”  
  
“No, Baek I could feel it. I can’t explain, I just know I had something to do with it. I-I’m scared.”  
  
“What are you scared of?” no answer, so Baekhyun tries a different approach at comforting his crying bestfriend. “C’mon lighten up Yeol! I’m sure your mother couldn’t stay mad at you! I-I mean look at you, you’re like a big ball of sunshine and happiness!” Chanyeol wasn’t that fat, he was just a little chubby for a nine year old, still though, Baekhyun pinched at the pudge on his arms, “Literally.”  
  
And they both break out into a fit of laughter.  
  
Baekhyun wanted to tell him he’s had experiences like that too, but would Chanyeol believe him?  
  
Baekhyun was rubbing his back in reassurance and support when he contemplates on whether or not to tell him the truth.  
  
He gives in to instinct and starts. “Chanyeol, the fire… you’re right it was because of you. B-But don’t scream or cry, it’s fine. I can do things like those too. My parents too, their friends can do, my grandparents, my entire family can do those things, they can even do much more. It’s normal for… for people like us.”  
  
Chanyeol just stares at him so Baekhyun decides to break it down to him, Chanyeol was a muggleborn after all, this was clearly new territory to him. “Yeol, please listen, okay? What we can do, it’s called magic. And I’m not lying about this. See there’s this whole other world of witches and wizards that can move objects without touching them like us; they can make things happen out of pure will; they can make things magically appear out of thin air; there are other people like us, and I know this is scary and a lot to take in especially since you’re only knowing about this now.”  
  
Chanyeol suddenly gets up from his swings and starts walking away from him “Baek, I understand that you’re trying to comfort me but making up stories isn’t going to hel-”  
  
“No! Wait Chanyeol, please believe me! Wait, wait look just stop for a while please?” He ends up stopping, albeit not on his own choice, for the shock was enough to make him forget everything else.  
  
Flowers of all different kinds were suddenly spurting from the ground, growing at a pace so fast it seemed unreal and Chanyeol had a thought that he’s probably played too many video games.  
  
He looks over and sees Baekhyun looking calm, clearly unaffected by the unnatural happening.  
  
"Are you doing this Baek?"  
  
"Chanyeol..."  
  
The flowers were now almost as tall as him, and Chanyeol was afraid they might start swallowing him whole.  
  
"S-stop it Baekhyun!"  
  
"Baekhyun! I said stop please! Please!"  
  
"I-I can't! Chanyeol, I can't stop them!"  
  
There were more flowers growing now, engulfing the both of them in a circle. The flowers looked like they were going for them, releasing wonderful aroma that would lure you into their trap, their stems reaching out to them, trying to get them with their prickly leaves.  
  
One flower in particular was coming for Chanyeol; he panicked and fell on his butt. He tried getting up but he simply couldn't.  
  
“Baekhyun! Help! Help me!” Chanyeol screamed.  
  
He looked around, but Baekhyun was nowhere in the circular clearing surrounded by the deadly looking flowers.  
  
“Oh my god...”  
  
_Where is Baekhyun?! What am I going to do?!_  
  
The clearing was getting smaller now, just big enough for Chanyeol to stand in. He was going to die amidst flowers, this was the end.  
  
"Chanyeol! Chanyeol stop the flowers!" Was the Baekhyun? Where is he? Is he trapped in the flowers?  
  
"Baekhyun?! Baekhyun!" Newfound power rushed through Chanyeol.  
  
"Chanyeol!" And there he saw, a tuft of Baekhyun's brown hair in the middle of a hundred flowers.  
  
_I'm going to save Baekhyun. I will._  
  
"Stop!" He yelled at the flowers.  
  
They were now creeping up on him, curling themselves around his faded Chuck Taylor's.  
  
“Chanyeol hurry! Please!”  
  
They were up to his shins now and Chanyeol knew he only had a few minutes left before they died in the most colorful way possible.  
  
But no matter how many times Chanyeol yelled at them to stop, they wouldn't stop from growing.  
  
Chanyeol was angry now. He unleashed all his fury into one scream and closed his eyes, knowing that this might already be his and Baekhyun’s end.  
"AAAHRRGGHH”  
  
Suddenly, he felt the vines wrapped around his legs disappear, the deathly scent of floral that wafted his nose was replaced with the scent of smoke.  
  
When he opened his eyes, he felt like he was dreaming.  
  
Where there used to be flowers, there was now only blackened grass, multitudes of ash, and columns of smoke coming from where he stood.  
  
There was also Baekhyun, covered in tar with dots of blood coming from the cuts on his skin. He was lying down with his eyes closed - he was unconscious.  
  
Chanyeol felt the heavy beating of his heart and sweat drip from his forehead. "No... no, no, no..." He rushed to the brunette's side and picked him up.  
  
"Baekhyun, please wake up... Baekhyun..." and he started crying.  
  
He did this. He was a monster; first his mother, now his Baekhyun.  _Everyone always gets hurt when they're close to me._  
  
A coughing is heard, and Chanyeol feels Baekhyun stirring in his arms.  
  
"Ch-Chanyeol?" His lost eyes were looking around, taking everything before him in. He blinks a couple times and his eyes widen like saucers. "Chanyeol!" Baekhyun shouts and throws himself at Chanyeol, hugging him so tight and with so much force that they both fall onto the grass.  
  
"Chanyeol you did it! I knew you could do it! You stopped the flowers!"  
  
But instead of Chanyeol rejoicing with him, Baekhyun sees him getting up and dusting the ash from his pants, walking away from him.  
  
Baekhyun is quick to get up though. "Chanyeol. Chanyeol wait." He starts, catching up with the other male. "Chanyeol, I-I know that what I did was wrong but I did it for you. I just wanted you to know that you could do it - that you are magical."  
  
"I know that but wasn't there some other way you could 'teach' me about myself?" Baekhyun feels the constricting of his chest, Chanyeol has never sounded so angry at him before.  
  
"I'm sorry. I thought I could control it but I couldn't." Now it's Baekhyun's turn to feel tears in his eyes.  
  
"Baek you almost got us killed!"  
  
"I-I'm sorry Chanyeol." And he's crying now, but he doesn't want Chanyeol seeing his tears, he was the one who did this in the first place. He wipes his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, hoping Chanyeol would just think he was wiping sweat off his forehead –  _yeah right you’re sweating buckets from your eyes in the fall, please Byun._  
  
After a long silence, Chanyeol speaks up. "But hey, at least we made it out there alive."  
  
Baekhyun shocked by what Chanyeol just said, he looks up and sees Chanyeol smiling his signature full-set-of-teeth smile at him.  
  
He opens his mouth to say something, but Chanyeol, being the slightly taller of the two, throws an arm around his shoulder - the action silences Baekhyun for a split second, "Sshh don't ask, you know I could never stay mad at you." And they start walking out of the park.  
  
While walking in comfortable silence, Chanyeol speaks up “By the way Baek, I have to tell you something. It’s my birthday next week, on the 27th, will you come? A-All our friends from school will be there! I’ll have cake and games and goodie bags with treats. And mom told me to let you bring your parents too but I understand if they don’t want to come, or you won’t it’s fine I-I was just inviting you because maybe you’d-”  
  
“Yeol!” Baekhyun shouts and Chanyeol’s stammering is cut short. “Of course I want to come! I wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world!”  
  
And Chanyeol smiles the widest he’s ever smiled in a long time. “Okay! Cool, I’ll tell my mom to tell your parents the address to my house… when she cools down and all.”  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t know why but he finds Chanyeol adorable like this, trying hard to suppress his happy smile and his ears going red.  
  
He starts giggling and Chanyeol joins in too, and they start giggling together, the youthful sounds ringing louder than the honks of the cars down the street. Every negative emotion that was felt in the past hour was immediately forgotten as they make their merry way home, (or at least Chanyeol dropping Baekhyun off at his home before walking a couple more blocks to his own).  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The Byun family was the first to arrive at Chanyeol's birthday because of one overly excited puppy."I can't wait to give Chanyeol our present!"  
  
By then, Baekhyun has already told his parents of Chanyeol's magical abilities and surprised as they were, the brunette managed to convince them to give him a magical present that would suit the elf-eared bestfriend of their only child.  
Chanyeol's mother didn’t even have time to call for Chanyeol for Baekhyun was already running up the steps to his room.  
  
  
  
"Yeol!" Baekhyun didn't even bother knocking and went straight for Chanyeol who was sitting on his bed. "I'm here early but I should give you this already, it's something that I think you might like to play with when you're um you know bored or something." His eyes were sparkling brightly, he just  _knew_  Chanyeol would love his gift.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol opened the small package and saw a lighter inside; its head was made of metal and it was carved in the shape of a phoenix. It looked cool, but he was puzzled why Baekhyun would give him this.  
  
  
  
"It's a magical lighter! It's called a Flamma Flame. See, this fire doesn't actually burn, unless you want it to that is! Oh and you can control it too but dad says you need to learn proper magic at school first."  
  
  
  
Baekhyun proceeded to click open the lighter and a flash of colors appeared.  
  
  
  
The flame that escaped the lighter burned in rainbow colors and it showed of a phoenix flapping its wings.  
  
  
  
"Woah!! This is really cool Baek!" Chanyeol exclaimed, never has he seen anything so captivating. The way the flames danced in the night, the way the light looked so at harmony with Baekhyun's bright expression, Chanyeol suddenly felt at peace with the situation.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun switched the lighter off and put it back on again. This time, the flame was in green and it displayed a serpent curling up and down as graceful as smoke.  
  
  
  
“Woah! It’s a snake!”  
  
  
  
“B-but why are you giving this to me. This… this is too cool.”  
  
  
  
“Oh, just hush and accept the gift and ooh – here.” He took a chain from his shorts pocket.  
  
  
  
“It’s a chain, if ever you’d want to wear it and carry it around you wherever you go.”  
  
  
  
“Wow! Thanks Baek. I have no words.”  
  
  
  
"Boys! Come down! Your friends are here already!" Chanyeol's mother shouted from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
  
  
"C'mon let's go!" Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol's arm to get out of the room but Chanyeol didn't budge.  
  
  
  
"Baek. I have to give you something too."  
  
  
  
"It's YOUR birthday don't be silly, Yeol."  
  
  
  
"No, just sit down first."  
  
  
  
He watched as Chanyeol fished out a tiny box from under his bed. "Really Chanyeol."  
  
  
  
"Just open it." Baekhyun unwrapped the box with haste wanting to see what Chanyeol could have given to him that couldn't wait until later.  
  
  
  
What he saw made his heart leap in his chest.  
  
  
  
"My necklace!"  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry. I've had it for so long and I keep forgetting to return it to you." Chanyeol said sheepishly, his cheeks burning.  
"No, no need to be sorry. Thanks for giving me a present that was already mine!" Baekhyun said jokingly. "Well then, let's go downstairs someone still has a birthday party to attend to."  
  
  
  
"You mean someoneS." Chanyeol said while gesturing between the two of them, implying that although it was Chanyeol's birthday they'd be spending it together.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun could feel his eyes rolling to the back of his head. "C'mon let's go!"  
  
  
  
And with that they raced down the steps to the living room where there was cake, a different assortment of sweets, and a whole bunch of Chanyeol's favorite food laid down on the table.  
  
  
  
His friends from school and their families were there and they were singing him a happy birthday as soon as they've gotten sight of him.  
  
  
  
They played lots of party games that night. Kids laughing and playing. And eventually, much to Baekhyun's dismay, it was time to go home.  
   
   
  
  
  
   
That night, in contrast to the happy events just a few hours ago, Baekhyun dreamt of being in an almost deserted stone corridor. But the fright he felt from the dimly lit corridor pales in comparison to the back that he saw turned away from him.  
  
  
  
"Chanyeol!" He shouted to the boy who was walking farther and farther away.  
  
  
  
He was talking to someone, someone much older than they were, so he shouted louder, "Chanyeol!"  
  
  
  
But no matter how loud he shouted, the boy – Chanyeol, wouldn't stop, wouldn't even turn around to look at him. Baekhyun was ready to let himself run after him, but as soon as he was about to take a step forward, he felt a hand on his shoulder stopping him, "Baekhyun, let's go."  
  
  
  
The male's voice sent shivers down Baekhyun's spine, it sounded so commanding that felt the need to obey whoever this was.  
  
  
  
When Baekhyun looked up, he felt smaller than he already is. The male's intimidating voice matched his intimidating looks - tall, built stature, blonde hair spiked upwards and cold, piercing eyes; he looked older than Baekhyun by several years so he did as he was told, and walked the opposite way of the retreating figure.  
  
  
  
Deep inside, Baekhyun knew it wasn't the formidable presence of the young man that made him not pursue Chanyeol, but it was the nagging, aching, feeling that the older male was right - that he should go and not bother Chanyeol anymore.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun woke up in sweat and tears.  
His throat was burning and his heart felt like it was being torn to shreds - he must've been crying in his sleep.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
Baekhyun and Chanyeol remained friends - only getting closer as the years pass by and soon enough, each of them had received their Hogwarts acceptance letter by the time they turned the ripe age of eleven.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol's mother was initially shocked by the weirdly dressed man standing outside of her door, claiming that her son was a "wizard" like those in fairytale books. She always knew her son was different but she never expected this.  
  
  
  
Once the man finished explaining and she finally got her bearings together, she turned to Chanyeol to see his reaction and she saw his face morphing up into wide smile that made her feel a tad bit guilty inside why she ever contemplated on sending Chanyeol off or not.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
"Baek! I finally got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts, you know, like the one you got earlier this year!" Chanyeol shouted at Baekhyun as soon as he entered the classroom and sat down next to Baekhyun, his usual seat.  
  
  
  
"Shh! Keep it down will you? We can't really talk about these things with muggles around."  
  
  
  
"Ohh.. Sorry..?" He grinned, he didn't look sorry at all, and eleven year old Baekhyun could only roll his eyes at this - he wasn't really mad Chanyeol though  
.  
"But anyway, congrats! We'll shop for our school supplies soon!"  
  
  
  
"What is this Hogwarts anyway? I know it's a school and all but like, do you know any details about it like your parents have told you?" Baekhyun opened his mouth to speak but Chanyeol beat him to it with a, "Can you tell me about it too? Pleeeaaaase."  
  
  
  
Their teacher entered the classroom then which made Chanyeol pout “ _Great”_  Chanyeol thought.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun laughed at how adorable he looked, like a puppy who grew too big too fast that he couldn't sit on your lap anymore.  
  
  
  
"I'll tell you about it later." Baekhyun said, followed by a wink.  
  
  
  
The bell signaling the end of classes for the day hasn’t even rung yet but Chanyeol has already started pestering Baekhyun about Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
“Let’s go outside for this Yeol.” Once outside, the other kids ran for the swings and the slides of their playground but Chanyeol and Baekhyun sat on the grass far from them, both boys stretching their feet out and relaxed themselves under the afternoon sun.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun tells Chanyeol about everything he’s heard of Hogwarts – the castle-like school, the grounds, the subjects, the teachers, the myths, everything he’s heard from every single one of his family members escaped his lips and entered Chanyeol’s all too eager out-sticking ears.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun also tells him of the houses in Hogwarts, one of the most dreading things ever as a first year.  
  
  
  
“Hey Baek, do you think we’ll get sorted into the same house?”  
  
  
  
“I don’t know maybe, maybe not.”  
  
  
  
“Baekhyun!”  
  
  
  
“What?”  
  
  
  
“What do you mean what?”  
  
  
  
“How could you say something like that?”  
  
  
  
“Say something like what?”  
  
  
  
“It’s not something to joke about!”  
  
  
  
“What do you expect me to say? How am I supposed to know our houses Yeol.”  
  
  
  
“Sorry, I’m just… scared.”  
  
  
  
“What are you scared of?”  
  
  
  
“Us. Getting sorted into different houses wouldn’t change anything between us would it?”  
  
  
  
“No, of course not. How could you even ask such a thing?”  
  
  
  
“I just… don’t want to separated from you Baek. Wh-what if you get all popular and forget me?”  
  
  
  
“Hahaha! That’s nonsense, Chanyeol. Hey, same goes for you too big guy.”  
  
  
  
“Are you kidding me! Of course we’ll still remain friends! Even if you ignore me, I’ll always be here for you!”  
  
  
  
“You’re cheesy.”  
  
  
  
“Well it’s the truth.” They laughed for god-knows-what after that. Maybe they didn’t need a reason, maybe they were just simply happy being in each other’s company.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
The sounds of a train fast-approaching from the distance could be heard in the background as Mr. and Mrs. Byun walked Baekhyun to the Hogwarts Express for the very last time.  
  
  
  
Families of many different witches and wizards were all there to send their children off to the Hogwarts Express.  
"My baby is all grown up!" Mrs. Byun exclaimed while cupping Baekhyun's mochi cheeks in her hands, pearls were shimmering in her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Mother please! It's nothing to get so emotional over." He was trying to sound angry but he failed, he too, was just as emotional; he's changed so much since he first set foot at Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
"Oh but it is, Baek. We've seen you grow up, seen you go through things; been here since your first train ride. And now, it's the last time you'll ever be taking the train, after this, you'll be working already. And before you know it, and before we know it, you'll be sending your own kids off here."  
  
  
  
Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something but in a flash - literally, the train arrived and was blowing its steam right into the air above them.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun's mom was crying now. "Oh would you look at that, the train's arrived. Time flies by so fast it seems li-"  
"Alright honey, that's enough wouldn't want Baek to miss his train.” Baekhyun’s father interrupted before Mrs. Byun cry more tears. “See you son!"  
  
  
  
“Bye dad! Bye mom! I love you!” He greeted them goodbye.  
  
  
  
And with that, the Byun family sent Baekhyun off to the Hogwarts Express for the final time. Baekhyun got on the train, belongings in tow.  
  
  
  
He felt the sense of familiarity the train had as he trudged along the compartments looking for where Kyungsoo and Jongdae were - they were like his bestfriends, although everyone in the Slytherin house was close to each other. As they should be, after all, they've only got each other.  
  
  
  
He was walking by, not forgetting his Head Boy duties by keeping everyone in line and behaved, he could see some the anxious first years some keeping their heads low.  
  
  
  
He recalls his first ever train ride to Hogwarts. It was much different than this one - he wasn't responsible trying to tell everyone to get back in their nor was he anticipating what Hogwarts might be like to the point of wetting himself - no, instead he was a bubbly kid, his cheeks as full ever and his fluffy hair bounced about with every step he took.  
  
  
  
He was innocent, and didn't know what would await him in Hogwarts but he was positive, very unlike the pessimist he's become.  
  
  
  
"Hey watch it Byun!" Baekhyun felt a dull pang in his chest and fell on his butt, and of course a chorus of laughter ensues. Of course he was bumped into on purpose - of course.  
  
  
  
It was the Ravenclaw's beater's eyes - Brandon Young he looked into as he got up, maintaining eye contact with the meathead.  
  
  
  
"Now, now, no need to get your panties in a twist, it was an accident." Lee Taeyong said from beside him with the smuggest grin on his face Baekhyun could've hexed it off, if only he wasn't looking for getting the Most Outstanding Wizard award.  
  
  
  
"I’m not mad I'm just surprised you couldn't tell the difference between your right foot and your left." He said it with calmness and venom in his voice - seven years of this kind of treatment is enough to make anyone want to burn the place down.  
  
  
  
"Woah woah Byun, easy there, wouldn't want you to  _Avada Kedavra_  me." He said right in front of his face. Baekhyun was annoyed, he was already clutching his wand hidden underneath the layers of his robe. He could do it, he knew he could hex them all. But he didn't; his life was so much more than a dingy jail cell. So he walked away, his action leaving them to laugh at him in his dust. Brandon Young was the least of his problems, he was like a pesky bug that would keep buzzing at you thinking it was successfully annoying you but in actuality you were actually just too tired to kill it. He was nothing he could never compare to them –  
  
  
  
He couldn't let his mind wonder off too much as he found the compartment he shares with Kyungsoo and Jongdae and quickly entered, letting out a breath of fresh air.  
  
  
  
"Trouble?" His friend's concerned voice filled the silence.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun turned around to respond but his mouth fell open in shock when he saw an unconscious 6th year larger ears than than normal lying down on the seat, his head on Jongdae's lap.  
  
  
  
It would’ve been funny, but Baekhyun wasn’t feeling all too happy about the day already.  
  
  
  
"Oh my god! Kyungsoo! Wh-what happened?! Who was it?! Who did this?!"  
  
  
  
"Baek calm down, it's just an enlargement spell that tinkers with your consciousness a bit. It wears off in thirty more minutes and won't leave an after effect – but hey at least they were a tad bit kind this time."  
  
  
  
"Kind?! Jongdae can you hear yourself?! They can't keep doing this! Who was it?!"  
  
  
  
Jongdae tugged on Baekhyun's robes forcefully to keep him from doing anything rash, "Baekhyu-"  
  
  
  
"Jongdae! We can't be okay with this, we don't deserve this kind of treatment and so does everyone else in our h-"  
  
  
  
"I know, Baekhyun." Baekhyun was furious at his reply, he couldn't believe what was coming out of Jongdae's mouth, these were words of surrender.  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo was a 6th year Slytherin student who Jongdae and Baekhyun met two years ago due to their similar taste in the subject Potions; turns out, as cliché as it may look to the other houses, Kyungsoo too like Baekhyun and Jongdae had his own brewing area down in the deserted areas of the dungeons.  
  
  
  
The fact that those mongrels did something like this on the very first day after the summer vacation makes him furious.  
"Who did this Jongdae? We aren't even at Hogwarts yet but they've already done something as horrible as this."  
  
  
  
"We-I don't know. Kyungsoo and I were walking and suddenly he was hit with this spell- I can't tell exactly who but I saw Park Chanyeol and his hooligans snickering in front of us."  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol, the name left such a bitter taste in Baekhyun's mouth that he actually had to resist the urge to spit, just to get Park Chanyeol out of his system.  
  
  
  
"Baek, just stop. You can't fight every battle. Just sit down, there's only a couple months left, we'll be okay."  
  
  
  
Baekhyun didn’t really agree with what Jongdae said but he was too tired to argue so he gave up the fight and flopped down onto the seat, resting his head on the window, closing his eyes and willing away thoughts of punching Park Chanyeol in the nuts.  
  
  
  
There even in the loud steam engine train, he dreamed.  
  
  
  
He was in a deserted corridor in Hogwarts, a light sheet of dust gracing everything on the surface, barely lit, what made all the difference was that there was a body standing in front of him, clearly male. Baekhyun gulped, unable to look up at whoever was clearly looking down at him.  
  
  
  
"Baekhyun... I... I'm..."  
  
  
  
   
"Baekhyun," there was a hand on his shoulder shaking him awake, "we've arrived."  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun’s first duties as Slytherin Head Boy were as he expected. The ushering of the first years onto the boats that travelled them across the lake was a breeze, he always liked seeing the looks on young kids’ faces as they saw Hogwarts for the first time.  
  
  
  
He couldn’t blame them, he too was once a first year, mesmerized by the haunting beauty of the castle and its grounds, there were stars in the sky he remembered, tiny pinpricks of light that reflected in his eyes.  
  
  
  
What Baekhyun dreaded the entire night was the sorting.  
  
  
  
It was the one thing he once anticipated but grew to hate about Hogwarts or at least the ceremony.  
  
  
  
“Gryffindor!” the Sorting Hat yelled almost as soon as it landed on the first kid’s head.  
  
  
  
The Gryffindor table’s hoots and calls could be heard all around the Great Hall, causing a huge ruckus as their spoons and forks clanged on the plates, their knives ringing the cups of their drinks; it was something they should celebrate that Baekhyun could understand.  
  
  
  
Names of the different houses were called by the Sorting Hat. But whenever Slytherin was called, the hoots and claps turned into boos and sheer mockery.  
  
  
  
That was what Baekhyun couldn’t understand.  
  
  
  
It’s something that has always made him sick – how differently his House was treated, as if they were garbage, as if they’re all descendant of Lord Voldemort.  
  
  
  
When he was younger, he had never understood why other houses treated them differently, why they’d call them names, and bully them even when they haven’t done anything wrong. But as the years went by, he slowly began to come to terms with the fact that no matter how much he wanted the torments coming from the other Houses to stop, they never would no matter what he did; how could he expect such a sudden change when discrimination like that is the very root of the core values the Slytherin house treasures the most in the first place?  
  
  
  
Baekhyun’s learned to understand why Slytherins – like himself and his friends, keep to themselves, it’s because there’s no one else they could turn to who wouldn’t treat them like they were the scum of the earth; why, since hundreds of years back, Slytherins have learned to keep a mean front as a defense to all the hatred that would be thrown at them on a daily basis. It’s something Baekhyun’s (unwillingly) accepted.  
  
  
  
He quickly snapped out of his reverie when he saw bright flash of blue heading towards the newly declared Slytherin boy who had his eyes to the floor, as a reflex of years having to do it to protect himself, he quickly deflected the spell, making the boy’s eyes turn into saucers as he realized what had almost happened to him.  
  
  
  
The Slytherin table warmly welcomed the newbie, smiles bright and hopeful despite all the three other houses having a competition with each other on who could make the loudest sounds of disgust.  
  
  
  
“Chin up.” Baekhyun said to the boy, with a reassuring smile.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
When the feast ended and the Head Boys and Girls, and the prefects had to escort the first years to their quarters, Baekhyun heard a voice that tugged on his nerves, stopping him in his tracks.  
  
  
  
“Hey Byun.” It was said with a slight tease in his voice. Oh how Baekhyun wanted it gone.  
  
  
  
He turned around and faced the devil of his dreams, “What is it Park?”  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol was surrounded by his little posse of girls of different years, all giggling at looking up at him as if he was some kind of god.  
  
  
  
“Still as uptight as ever I see. Anyway, liked my little trick earlier? Such a shame it hit your friend though, was kind of hoping to see you in dumbo ears.”  
  
  
  
“Look in the mirror and you’d see dumbo ears that easily.” Baekhyun said with spite in his voice, he didn’t want to entertain Park Chanyeol even further, he was annoying, irritating, and a good-for-nothing, attention-seeking prick, to say the least; but maybe it was the Slytherin in him but he wanted to show the younger years that they  _can_  talk back, that you have to get back at those who try you. He just wanted to set an example to them, like what Head Boy Kris did in his first year, that even if they were outnumbered they would never be overpowered. Not especially by dumb-as-rocks Gryffindors.  
“Calm your little tush there, I was only fooling around. Now go on and do your Head Boy duties. Mind if I Slytherin when you’re finished?”  
  
  
  
“I’d never want you.”  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol laughed his obnoxious boisterous laugh at this comment, Screw him Baekhyun thought.  
  
  
  
“You’re funny Byun, you Slytherins always give me a good laugh. Wah, well see you around the castle during restricted hours  _Head Boy_.” Park Chanyeol put his arms around the two girls by his side bringing them to god-knows-where to do god-knows-what but Baekhyun couldn’t care any less, there were first years looking between him and Park Chanyeol with unreadable expressions on their faces.  
  
  
  
He hated people like Park Chanyeol. They were boisterous, they acted like the ruled the world just because they were put into Gryffindor the “House of the Brave”. They acted like they were better than everyone when in fact they couldn’t even tell the difference between their house Gryffindor and the magical creature hippogriff.  
  
  
  
They were the worst kind of bullies because the always got away with things, after all, who would believe the word of a Slytherin over the word of someone from literally any other house?  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
The school year started as it does every year with only minor differences. Like the Ghost of the Bloody Baron prank on Slytherin second years became a Ghost of Salazar Slytherin prank - to teach those snot-nosed Slytherins “who's boss”.  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol still slicked is gray hair back - making him more like the sexy and masculine Star Chaser Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. He still had girls and guys alike falling onto their knees in his wake - sometimes quite literally.  
  
  
  
Byun Baekhyun still looked at him as if he was the biggest piece of hippogriff dung - which he made the puppy looking boy step in a year before during Care of Magical Creatures after he took 10 points away from him, for just  _borrowing_  Madam Pol's manual on centaurs. He swears he was going to return it later in the day! Byun just never gave him a chance.  
  
  
  
Ditching class or snogging a girl behind a pillar during bed hours, Byun Baekhyun  _always_  caught him and take points from his house each time. The brunette would rant about how Park Chanyeol was everything wrong with this school. Self-righteous remarks about how people like Park Chanyeol would never succeed in the real world would slip past his pink lips that looked oh so delicious to bite.  
  
  
  
But Byun Baekhyun would never understand that the more he does this, the more Chanyeol would keep doing what he always does.  
  
  
  
See, since first year there’s always been this intensity between them; Park Chanyeol could be casually laughing a joke someone from his house made and Byun Baekhyun would their giving him the most disdainful frown and the angriest pair of eyes he's ever seen directed at him.  
  
  
  
It was all good fun. His pranks on the brunette were the best – there was some sort of satisfaction he felt when Byun Baekhyun would get caught up in it, find him in the crowd, and yell at him  _as if_  he actually stood a chance.  
It was amusing to see him try, amusing to see a Slytherin fight a losing battle. The kid couldn’t even reach past his chin for Merlin’s sake.  
  
  
  
All the years that they've attended Hogwarts Byun Baekhyun would always throw him disapproving frowns and angry stares, Chanyeol didn't mind it - he couldn't care any less. No one cared about the Slytherins anyway,  _they_  were what was wrong with the world - evil, conniving, cheating. "Why they were given their own House in Hogwarts, no one knows. They should be working in the dungeons with those house elves." His older years used to say, followed by snickers erupting from his table.  
  
  
  
Maybe it was because Byun Baekhyun had a crush on him, he couldn't blame him though. Park Chanyeol has got hair down right to a T, perfect set of teeth to complete his perfect smile, tall, hot, sexy, everything every boy attending Hogwarts would dream to be. His grades weren't the best, but at least he wasn’t doing as bad as Baekhyun would like to think.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol thinks the years have done Byun Baekhyun really good - his face was beautiful now, not just the "cute" it was before, he was slimmer now, with just the right amount of fat in just the right places.  
  
  
  
Although Chanyeol would never admit it aloud, he looked like a treat to Chanyeol, he could just eat him right up.  
He wanted to drape himself all over the small body sure, but he wasn't his type.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright Baekhyun, Chanyeol, you stay here and eat your snacks okay, we're taking mama Park around Diagon Alley." Baekhyun's mom said to them as they walked away.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun kept trying to open his mouth but would close them again after not even speaking a single thing yet.  
"Baek what is it? I know you want me to tell you something."  
  
  
  
"Um... Uh.. O-okay, fine."  
  
  
  
Chanyeol motioned for him to continue when Baekhyun didn't utter a single word after five seconds.  
"I-I don't know why I feel like I have to tell you this a-and I don't why here b-but o-okay. Here it goes. Chanyeol I have dreams."  
  
  
  
"Dreams are normal? Everyo-"  
  
  
  
"You didn't let me finish yet."  
  
  
  
"Oh sorry." Baekhyun smiled at his idiotic face and seemed to loosen up a bit.  
  
  
  
"My dreams, they aren't normal dreams. There are dreams that I have that end up becoming true. Like sometimes, I see the future in my dreams. D-does that make me weird?"  
  
  
  
Chanyeol found it a bit difficult to answer this in a way that wouldn't hurt Baekhyun's feelings in any way, which wasn't his intention but he just didn't want Baekhyun to feel that way regardless.  
  
  
  
"W-well it does make you weird. Since not a lot of people have the kind of dreams you have. B-but I didn't say it was a bad thing!! It means you're special because you can do what others can't! Being special is good! You're special Baekhyunnie!"  
  
  
  
Baekhyun seemed to cheer up at this so they left it at that and continued eating their ice cream while talking about all the adventure they promise to have with each other at Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
"We'd roam the castle after hours! My parents say doing that would get us in trouble but as long as we're together it's fine right?!"  
  
  
  
"Of course it is! I'm fine with whatever you're fine with!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You're in them you know. M-my dreams. You're in a lot of my dreams." You're in all my dreams.  
  
  
  
"Wow! Really?! That's cool! Could you tell me what they're about?" Chanyeol said with exaggerated puppy eyes that kept blinking for encouragement. It made Baekhyun laugh. "What fun would that be?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It's been years and Baekhyun still dreams, his dreams hurt, but he could do nothing to stop them.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun dreams of the leaves of the trees of the castle grounds blowing in the wind, not too harsh that they get blown off their feet, but a calming kind of breeze, one that combs through your hair and makes you close your eyes.  
   
The sun was hidden in the clouds and the air was cool - it was the perfect weather for quidditch.  
  
  
  
He sees a hulking figure kneeling on the grassy hill, behind pillar of the stands, he was in indistinguishable dark robes, but his silver hair gave him away.  
  
  
  
"Park Chanyeol!" He shouts as he sauntered on forward. Baekhyun saw the open case of the game balls, the snitch, quaffle, and two the bludgers were all there.  
  
  
  
Then, his droopy eyes widened like saucers as he realized what Park Chanyeol was doing.  
  
  
  
He woke up with a start.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was game day.  
  
The first game of the school year. Gryffindor versus Slytherin.  
  
Park Chanyeol is probably doing what he was dreaming at this very moment.  
  
"Park Chanyeol." He whispered loudly. He got up and wore his robe, not even bothering to change out of his sleeping wear; it didn’t matter anyway.  
  
  
  
"Ya Byun Baekhyun! Where are you going?!" Jongdae's screams at him barely register his mind as he was too preoccupied heading out of the Slytherin dungeons in a hurry, his feet running across the castle like he was in a marathon.  
  
  
  
He didn't even get to notice the banners hung up on the castle depicting both houses and the multitude of students bringing flaglets and ribbons to show their support, with twice as many supporters for Gryffindor, though Slytherin would never lose out in spirit.  
  
  
  
"Woah there pretty boy what's the rush?"  
  
  
  
"He probably forgot to sneak back in to his own common room last night - what a slut!"  
  
  
  
Hoots, whistles, laughter of mockery were being thrown right at him, but he paid them no mind.  
  
  
  
All he could think of was that he has to get to Park Chanyeol before he does anything that could seriously hurt someone.  
He ran across the grounds with no care, his bedroom slippers stepping into the mud with such force that they splattered onto his robes.  
  
  
  
When he got there, out of breath, and out of strength in his body, is where he saw him exactly like how he was in dream.  
"Park Chanyeol!" He shouted as he sauntered forward, out of breath but not out of willpower.  
  
  
  
The case of quidditch balls was all open and laid out.  
  
  
  
"What are you doing here Byun?" Chanyeol was confused but probably wasn't shocked,  _of course_  Byun Baekhyun would catch him.  
  
  
  
Before Baekhyun could reply, he saw a figure in the background, hiding herself from him.  
  
  
  
“Maddie! Are you supposed to be covering for this oaf?! Go! Before I tell on you too!”  
  
  
  
The girl, Maddie, let out a squeak and ran for this hills in the direction of the castle, not even looking back.  
  
  
  
"You're going to tell on me? It's only for a bit of fun."  
  
  
  
"You're casting spells on the quidditch balls. That's cheating and highly illegal. This has crossed the line, you could really actually hurt someone. The headmaster would have a field day hearing about this." He said and turn to walk away.  
  
  
  
"I'm going to get expelled!"  
  
  
  
"You should've gotten expelled a long time ago."  
  
  
  
“You aren’t even going to let me talk about this?”  
   
That made Baekhyun stop, maybe he was willing to negotiate?  
  
  
  
“Well, are you going to stop doing what you’re doing and put those quidditch balls back, hex-free?”  
  
  
  
“Of course I’m not!”  
  
  
  
“Well then there’s nothing left to talk about. Sayonara Park Chanyeol~”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun wasn't a tough shell to crack never went down without a fight. Byun Baekhyun was a ball of steel, that's how Slytherins were, so Chanyeol went for it, holding nothing back.  
  
  
  
"You know what? Tell the headmaster on me then. Go on, run to the castle and tell on every single thing I've done to you and to all the other no good Slytherins, maybe that would make you feel good about yourself – getting the great big Park Chanyeol expelled on his last year of Hogwarts.”  
  
  
  
“Oh please my self-worth doesn’t ride on getting you expelled or not. You’re too full of yourself.” Baekhyun said with a roll of his eyes but Chanyeol still continued on.  
  
  
  
“But you know what, that's going to change nothing. You will always be a sad, lonely, attention-seeking loner that no one will ever like. Isn't that why you do all this? Try to catch everyone, me especially, in our acts so you'd finally be given the attention you crave for that no one's ever given to you? Do you even have friends Byun? Listen here, what you think you're trying to do, will never work. No one is ever going to like you no one will ever like you let alone fuck you, got it? You're going to end up a  _boring_ , lonely, wrinkly old virgin with not even a single friend. One that all the kids hate because he’s too mean and scary."  
  
  
  
When Chanyeol ended, he expected Baekhyun to throw a few curses at him as well, he was taken aback when instead of a snarky backbite that he would've gladly refuted, he got a sight of wet twinkling eyes, a barely audible sniffle, and Byun Baekhyun's shaky voice, "10 points off of you Park." Byun Baekhyun turned and left, keeping his head low.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol could see the dried up mud on his pink bunny slippers and the soft little bounce of his brown hair as he walked away.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol said he didn't care, but why did he feel a painful clench in his chest?  
  
  
  
_Get it together, Park. You still have a quidditch match to play. Byun Baekhyun can tell whoever he wants, deal with that later_.  
   
His chest was feeling unusually tighter, and he was sweating buckets on the start of the fall season like it was the middle of summer.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
Baekhyun breaks into a sprint as soon as he's a couple of yards away from that Park Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
He badly wants to get to the Slytherin dungeons, get under the covers of his bed and cry.  
  
  
  
He's held in his emotions in for so long and for so much already, he just wants to pour them out and let him be empty. He was done. People laugh as he makes his way through the castle to get to the dungeons. Their wicked laughter have become the background music of his entire life at Hogwarts, he could barely here them anymore.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Baekhyun! Aren’t you watching the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin today?” Jongdae’s loud voice echoes off of corridor walls.  
  
  
  
“I’ll take a rain check.” He turns around and replies. His tear-stained face was obvious even in the dim light, Jongdae was taken aback a bit, but if Baekhyun wanted to tell him what had happened, he'd tell him himself, so Jongdae let it slide.  
  
  
  
“C'mon, loosen up a bit Head Boy, don’t you wanna see our quidditch team kick that sorry house’s ass?”  
  
  
  
“I’m not going Jongdae, I already told you that.”  
  
  
  
“Alright fine, you won’t watch the match but you still need to be there right? Keep the students in line and all, that’s part of your Head Boy duties isn’t it?” Maybe quidditch would distract you from your woes, he wanted to say.  
  
  
  
“I just really don’t feel like going to the pitch today; plus, I have to study.”  
  
  
  
“Baekhy-“  
  
  
  
“You’re the one who told me to loosen up a bit right? I’m sure I can miss this one thing I have to do and stop being so responsible for once.”  
  
  
  
Jongdae falls silent at this, already having an inkling about why he was acting like this, recalling the incident earlier in the morning, but he didn't press any further.  
  
  
  
He finally speaks up, “Okay, I’ll get going now,” and Baekhyun takes this as his cue to continue walking down the corridor to the dungeons, eager to get to the empty Slytherin common room where he can finally cry out the tears he’s been attempting and failing to hold in for so long.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone's already made their way over to the pitch to watch the first game of the season. So when he heard light sniffles coming from ahead of him in the main common room, he was shocked and wanted to see who could be facing a similar situation as he was.  
  
  
  
Sitting on the leather sofa with the green light of the lake radiating off of her pudgy face, was Gertrude Lee, the Head Girl of the Slytherin house.  
  
  
  
The other houses always had some sort of thing that they pick you on with, like Belle Summers who was, in contrary to the jubilance of her name, was a sad girl with black hair and pale skin, as if the sun had never graced her on the outside and in. They always teased her, revolving their jokes and pranks on her around the idea that she was a corpse.  
  
  
  
Gertrude Lee was one of their favorites.  
  
  
  
She was a big girl who did muggle wresting as a hobby. She had a mean, pudgy face and callouses on her hands. She could crush soda cans with ease.  
  
  
  
She was like a man, and she was the butt of their jokes.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun liked her and always admired Gertrude for her strength. She looked tough and strong in appearance and although she was frightening at first glance, she proved to be very caring of the lower years, protecting them from the people from the other houses, teaching them what they didn't teach in classes.  
  
  
  
And being the Head Boy and Head Girl, they worked together often, even becoming somewhat friends.  
He never expected that he'd ever see her cry, but he figured that they were all just human inside, with feelings and emotions like everyone else.  
  
  
  
"Gertrude, I-I'm sorry. I'll go."  
  
  
  
He didn't want to ask her what they'd done to her, he didn't have to. Halting her crying, she called Baekhyun back just as he turned his back and was about to leave "Oh it's you doll face. Nah, it's fine. It's nothing, you can stay. Those brawny knuckleheads were just giving me shit, nothing I can't handle." She covered up immediately, afraid of showing weakness even to Baekhyun; he couldn't blame her, he'd learned to do the same thing.  
  
  
  
"Anyway, what's up with you? You don't look too good yourself, you little twink." It was supposed to be an offensive nickname, but it made Baekhyun chuckle, it had become an inside joke between them and it was after all, true.  
  
  
  
"A knucklehead was giving me trouble too." Baekhyun said and plopped down beside her on the leather coach, the hues of the fire reflecting on their tired faces, making them look older than they are.  
  
  
  
They sat there in silence, no explanation was needed because they understood. They've understood for years now of how hard of a time everyone in their house would be in every single day - tired from fighting and putting up a strong facade just to wade others off.  
  
  
  
It felt nice sitting in silence with Gertrude in the faint green glow of the flames; for once, they were at peace.  
After some time, Gertrude broke the silence. "They're probably looking for us now, both Head Girl and Head Boy of Slytherin a no-show at Slytherin's first quidditch match of the year, against Gryffindor too. Would make a good headline, don't you think?"  
  
  
  
"Thanks. But I'll just sit this one out. Cover for me please?"  
  
  
  
"Anytime, twinkletoes."  
  
  
  
Their conversation distracted Baekhyun from the pain in his heart so when she left and he was left all alone in his feelings, Baekhyun couldn't stop the tears falling from his eyes and the sadness pouring out of his heart.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol rarely got nervous.  
  
  
  
Even in his first year of being in the quidditch team, every match always revved him up.  
  
  
  
But right now, strapped in his Gryffindor quidditch gear, the latest edition of the Firebolt in hand, walking towards the already cheering crowd representing his House, Chanyeol swears he's never felt this uneasy in his life.  _It's just the nerves. You just want to impress that lady from the Ravenclaw house._  He'd said to himself, but he didn't believe any of it.  
  
  
  
In the back of his head he told himself that it was because Byun Baekhyun messed with his head and now he actually feels that he's sorry for their encounter earlier. Maybe it was a little too much even for him.  
  
  
  
"And here they are the Gryffindor quidditch team! Can we hear you screeaaam!"  
  
  
  
His eyes unconsciously raked the roaring crowd, in search of the brunette; catching himself, he stopped, realizing what he was just thinking.  
  
  
  
He was thinking of apologizing to him after and get this heaviness of his chest.  
  
  
  
_What the hell Park._  
  
  
  
Walking across the pitch as the captain and bringing his team in, the crowd screamed louder.  
  
  
  
The referee told the captains the standard rules of the game and he swears he saw the Slytherin team captain leer at him when the ref said the game was about to begin.  
  
  
  
Soon enough as soon as they got into position, the balls were released and the game officially began.  
  
  
  
As soon as the match began, Chanyeol felt his senses heightening immediately, before he knew it the quaffle was in his hands and he was racing against the force of the wind to throw the quaffle into one of the hoops. Chanyeol felt at home, this was the very thing he missed about Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
Before the Slytherin keeper knew it Chanyeol was so near within scoring range already. And with the full force of his strength, the quaffle, soared through the ring, scoring the first point of the match.  
  
  
  
Blow horns could be heard signaling the first point made by Gryffindor. The crowd went wild and he could hear the chant of "Park Chanyeol" by some students.  
  
  
  
The crowd.  
  
  
  
Byun Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
His eyes shot to the stands, hoping he could at least know where he was staying.  
  
  
  
_What the hell… Park! Focus! Think about that later! You have a match to win!_  
  
  
  
Subconsciously searching the sea of many faces for Byun Baekhyun and feeling guiltier by the second. Chanyeol misses a couple of passes that were thrown at him, clearly having more concentration on finding Baekhyun than in the game.  
On his broomstick chasing for the quaffle that was thrown at him, he caught site of Kim Jongdae.  
  
  
  
He'd seen him around Baekhyun for all the years that they've attended Hogwarts so he knew Baekhyun must be sitting close to him. Chanyeol looked and blink several times and much to his dismay, he didn't see Byun Baekhyun anywhere.  
"Chanyeol watch out!" He'd missed the whizzing bludger that was gunning for the Slytheirn seeker by a hair.  
  
  
  
This is Byun Baekhyun's fault.  
  
  
  
It always is.  
  
  
  
“And the score is now 170-130 with Gryffindor in the lead! The best chaser Hogwarts has seen in years seems a bit distracted today don't you think, Joanne?"  
  
  
  
"I sure do Jordan. Whatever's making Park Chanyeol lose his focus has got to be interesting."  
  
  
  
"And there they go, the two seekers have caught sight of the golden snitch!"   
  
  
  
Before anyone knew it, the golden snitch has been caught but it was in the hands of the Slytherin seeker. Boos and insults filled the stadium.  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
“What happened out there man?!” Sehun, a seventh year and a beater for the Gryffindor team,  _Chanyeol’s bestfriend,_ yelled in his face and shoved him so hard he almost lost his balance and slammed into Taeyong who was standing right behind him.  
  
“What the hell Sehun?!”  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol we just fucking lost the first game of the very season to  _Slytherin._  Do you hear that? We lost to  _them_. If you’d have only stepped up your game, play as you normally do and stopped being so fucking  _distracted_  the whole damn time, that would’ve never happened.”  
  
“It’s only the first game, Hun. Relax a bit?”  
  
“Wha- Are you fucking kidding me?” Sehun exasperates. “I hope somebody just fucking slipped a potion into your drink today for you to be talking all this bullshit.”  
  
  
  
And he walks out and so does the rest of his teammates, they too were expressing their disappointment.  
  
  
  
“Get yourself together Chanyeol.” Taeyong says, a bit lighter than how Sehun had said it, but it still made him angry nonetheless.  
  
  
  
Ugh.  
  
  
  
Fuck!  
  
Fuck Byun Baekhyun for getting inside his head!  
  
  
  
Fuck not using those enchanted quidditch balls!  
  
  
  
Fuck himself for feeling that the dulling of Baekhyun’s pretty eyes were a much bigger loss than the damn game!  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
"Baek! Watch me!" Chanyeol with his signature pushed back hair shouted from high up on his broomstick.  
  
  
  
"No! Chanyeol please don't! I don't want to be cleaning up your remains and mourning over your unidentifiable body!" He shouted back. Why he would even think of doing such a thing, Baekhyun has no idea.  
  
  
  
"Aw love, you're hurting me with what you're saying!"  
  
  
  
"Maybe if you would just stop acting like a pile of bricks and get down he- Oh my god! Chanyeol!"  
  
  
  
In the middle of his rant, Chanyeol's broomstick zips away making Chanyeol fall and plummet miles per hour down to the ground. Baekhyun is in shock and grabs his wand to stop him. Before he could though, Chanyeol's firebolt catches him and soon enough Chanyeol is zipping his way to Baekhyun, big grin on his handsome face.  
  
  
  
Stomping away from Chanyeol, he shouted as loud as he could.  
  
  
  
"I hate you!"  
  
  
  
"Baby you love me!"  
  
  
  
He briefly wonders why the fates do this - make him dream up happy scenarios of him and Chanyeol when they were clearly never going to happen, they were as far from friends as the North and South pole.  
  
  
  
His dreams make him breathe a certain kind of melancholic sadness, knowing they would never happen in real life.  
Still it was a dream, so Baekhyun found himself drowning in the illusion and saying: "You made me so worried!" with tears in his eyes.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
After rehearsing his apology to the Slytherin that  _he didn’t even care about_  for the entire night, he doesn’t get to apologize to him the next day.  
  
  
  
Or the next next day because Chanyeol doesn’t run into Baekhyun at all.  
  
  
  
Rather than it being coincidental, he thinks that Byun Baekhyun might be avoiding him on purpose for the brunette doesn't even attempt to catch him at his old acts. He's never even seen him since that windy day on the hill.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol was feeling uneasy and his guilt (as much as he'd like to deny) was eating him up from the inside.  
What if something happened to him? Chanyeol could only blame himself.  
  
  
  
When he finally did see the small boy, it was in one of their Potions classes together and he was with his partner from his House - Chanyeol couldn't even touch him like this. And he was above apologizing in front of people who wouldn’t even second think of beating him up until his was numb.  
  
  
  
So no matter what Chanyeol did, Byun Baekhyun would let him be, he would interfere no more, and just basically pretended Park Chanyeol didn't exist.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
"Hey what's up shitface, you look like you're in deep thought. Never really took you for much of a thinker though." Kim Jongin, a 6th year and one of the Gryffindor beaters told him once, the moment he came to sit at the tables for supper at the Great Hall.  
  
  
  
It was followed by a couple of snickers and some light shoves from his friends; the “Cheer up, Yeol!”s could be heard but Chanyeol felt like the worst he’s ever been.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chanyeol would often catch himself in a little reverie during odd hours of the day.  
  
  
  
This wasn't how it was supposed to be - why was Byun Baekhyun's indifference to him affecting him so much? When even his hatred towards him never has before?  
  
  
  
Maybe it was because it was you who hurt him more than anyone else ever has, dumbass.  
  
  
  
No, he has to settle this now.  
  
  
  
He follows Byun Baekhyun after hours, tailing behind him softly and slowly.  
  
  
  
They end up on the seventh floor one night, and Chanyeol doesn’t think he could go any further in silence anymore.  
Chanyeol makes his presence known by rushing to Byun Baekhyun in heavy steps that echoed off of the bare walls; the shock on Baekhyun's face is evident for a moment until the familiar face of boredom quickly takes its place back, it's a face Chanyeol has learned to be annoyed by, he'd rather prefer Byun Baekhyun cursing to the pits of hell rather than just... this.  
  
  
  
"It's after hours, Park."  
  
  
  
"I know that Head Boy. Stop being such a stuck-up entitle brat for a moment and listen." He says as he grabs his forearm. Speaking like a normal person was impossible for Chanyeol when it came to Byun Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun shakes out of Chanyeol's grip with a face of disgust and Chanyeol's throat dries and closes up and suddenly he's staring at the mole on top of Baekhyun's upper lip.  
  
  
  
His staring is stopped when Baekhyun speaks up. "If you don't get back to your common room right now I'll need to take five points off of you."  
  
“Please threaten me all you want but just listen first, okay? I’m only going to say this once because I would never dare to talk to you ever again. I apologize for what I said to you, it was very tactless of me as a Gryffindor.” Baekhyun just rolled his eyes at his sorry ass of an apology and didn't say anything else.  
  
  
  
"Well?"  
  
  
  
"Well, what? Don't you have a girl to snog or a professor's classroom to break in to tonight?"  
  
  
  
"Wh-"  
  
  
  
"Then, go; before I actually do take points from you. I won't be killing your fun tonight. Isn't that why you're here? So you could watch me chase after you only for you to walk away unscathed in the end? Sorry my arse... All these years, all those things you've done and that's all you can say? Sorry?”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol tried to ignore the last part and blurted out, “I came here to apologize not to get insulted, some model student you are.”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun just scoffed at him.  
  
  
  
“What's so funny? It wasn't easy to come here, to find  _you_ , to apologize to  _you_  of all people.”  
  
  
  
"There you go again... You want to hear something from me? I will never forgive you, I don’t care what you do.”  
"What? What else am I supposed t-"  
  
  
  
"Nothing. You were supposed to be my friend Chanyeol."  
  
  
  
For some reason, it hit home, hearing Baekhyun call him by his first name alone; he's never done that, and somehow it stirred things inside of Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol sees Baekhyun turn around to leave him alone in his shock. He sees his small, retreating back and his brown hair that bounced with each step he took, it was a familiar sight, though this time it was his heart that was breaking.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun continued his way up to the astronomy tower. Something about the stars has always relaxed him.  
He looks up at them, twinkling at him menacingly, like they knew no matter how much Baekhyun stared at them, they’d always stay just right out of his grasp.  
  
  
  
Park Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
The mentioning of his name floods Baekhyun’s mind of different memories from the past and the future. Of many what-ifs and if-onlys. He hates it. He hates how much he feels towards Park Chanyeol. He was rude and mean and cruel and he haunts him and hurts him even when he doesn’t know it.  
  
  
  
How could the fates be so cruel? Letting Park Chanyeol invade even his dreams, his thoughts, his forms of escapism. It was torture to see a Park Chanyeol in his dreams who looked at him with honey oozing from his eyes – someone he could fall in love with over and over again, and waking up to a Park Chanyeol who puts explosives in his cauldron during potions and aggravated him to no end.  
  
  
  
He would never change, he could never, Baekhyun could only wipe his tears away at the false hope he was given to live with forever.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun went to bed that night with a heavy eyelids and a heavier heart; both tired from the past weeks' events. But for once, for once in ten years, Park Chanyeol did not appear in his dreams.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
When Chanyeol got to bed, albeit with a heavy heart, he dreamed of a barely lit stone corridor, one that came from the Great Hall and would take you going to the Gryffindor tower.  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol!” He heard his bestfriend - Baekhyun shout from behind him, excited as he was  
  
  
  
“Ba-“ He was about to shout back when he was given a light squeeze from William – a seventh year, “Easy there bud. We don't associate with those nasty Slytherins.”  
  
  
  
“B-but he's my bestfriend.”  
  
“Then he isn't your bestfriend anymore. See here, those Slytherins, they're evil. They were the very reason why the Dark Lord rose and killed thousands of wizards and muggles alike.”  
  
  
  
“But Baekhyun isn't like that h-“  
  
“You're a muggle-born right? Listen to me when I say this, Slytherin is the bad house. They'll betray you, bully you, even cast spells on you. They're like a cult.”  
  
  
  
“But enough about them, let's get to the Gryffindor common room, also known as the best common room of the Best house here at Hogwarts!” And he guided twelve year old Chanyeol along with an arm wrapped around his shoulders.  
  
  
  
From a third person point of view, he saw twelve year old Baekhyun’s eyes droopy eyes drop even more in sadness and disappointment.  
  
  
  
A tall blonde, Kris, if Chanyeol could remember correctly stopped Baekhyun just when he was about to run after him.  
  
  
  
“Baekhyun, let’s go.” Kris led them towards the dungeons, feeling a little bit sad for the little boy. “I know the feeling squirt. But don’t worry about it okay? Besides, aren’t you excited about seeing the best common room of all common rooms?” Kris said in a lighter tone, trying to coax little Baekhyun into cheering up a little. “The Slytherin dungeons are located underground, underneath the lake. So, through the huge windows, you could see the giant squid passing by, sometimes he’d even greet us!”  
  
  
  
“Really?!” Baekhyun piped up at this.  
  
  
  
“Yup, fish and other magical creatures would swim by too…” Kris continued, happy that he could make Baekhyun forget his troubles for the night.  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chanyeol awoke to the lights of their dorm twinkling in the dark. It was still night out and Chanyeol was drenched in sweat, perhaps nervous by the dream he had. He couldn't tell whether the latter part was a figment of his imagination but to him it felt real. Why? He didn't know but his throat felt suddenly tighter than usual.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Byun Baekhyun continued to appear in his dreams, like in one from when they were in the third year and Chanyeol decided scaring the hippogriff Baekhyun was trying to feed was hilarious. One when they were in fifth year and the game got even better because now Baekhyun was a  _prefect_  and it was always a lot more fun when he could deduct points and think that he actually had the advantage now.  
   
He dreamed of that one time the headmaster announced Baekhyun's near to perfect OWL test scores in fifth year and he'd been the one to lead the chorus of "boos!" and insults coming from all the three other houses.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
“Yeol, are you alright?”  
  
“Wh-what?!”  
  
“You seemed pale. What's going on Chanyeol? For the past days you've been zoning out. You haven't gone sneaking out to Hogsmeade anymore... you rarely ever do pranks. Even during practice the quaffle slips through your iron grip as if Slippys (a magical substance that would cause anything to slip) were rubbed all over it. What's going on man?” Sehun, said as he furrowed his eyebrows, genuinely looking concerned.  
  
“I just... Sehun, I... I…”  
  
“Alright, alright.” He says holding his hands up in surrender. “I won't dig. I know you're a bwig bwoy, who can handle his own pwoblems.” he said while pinching Chanyeol's cheeks and emphasizing big boy like what mothers do to their sons. "Listen, jokes aside, whatever it is I know you'll tell me when you need to or even just want to, I'll be here Yeol."  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Every night Chanyeol dreams of things from the past and every night he is reminded of every horrible thing he has done to everyone at this school – Byun Baekhyun in specific. Sometimes he wakes up and asks if he actually  _did_  do that in the past, which he actually has.  
  
Every night he wakes up in pain unable to believe that he'd been the one to terrorize the small brunette for all those years.  
  
Every night he regrets every single one of them, his heart growing in pain for all the pain he's caused others.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
He dreamed of himself on a windy day during his first year. He was surrounded by fellow Gryffindors on the castle grounds. There were other students walking around too, spending their free time outside, enjoying the cool breeze and aroma scent.  
  
“Chanyeol!” He heard coming from behind him.  
Baekhyun! It was Baekhyun. He opened his lips to part but Sehun, another first year he was with spoke first.  
  
“What do you think  _you're_  doing here Slytherin?”  
  
“Sorry to break it to you but we aren't interested in joining your cult.” Mark said from his left.  
They both laughed as if it was the funniest joke they'd heard all year.  
  
“What? I-I- no I just came to say hi to Chanyeol.” Baekhyun looked flustered and a little bit scared that they misunderstood his intentions.  
  
“Chanyeol?! _This_  Chanyeol? You're funny! What's your name again?”  
  
“B-Baekhyun.” He said softly his voice breaking at the end.  
  
“Wow Baekhyun you actually have the nerve to come up here and talk to us and claim that you, a Slytherin, are friends with Chanyeol from Gryffindor?! What a joke!”  
  
  
  
“But on the bright side, looks like you already have a fun Yeol!”   
  
They were attracting a little audience now, people stopping whatever it was they were doing and enjoying the entertainment they were getting with the tiny Slytherin getting all flustered and scared in front of them.  
  
“Have you gotten a little crush on him? You're so desperate it's embarrassing.”  
  
“N-no! Not at all! I've known him for ye-“ Baekhyun said waving his hands around, his eyes were filled with tears now and any moment he was going to break.  
  
“Chanyeol doesn't even know who the fuck you are, right Yeol?”  
“Chanyeol, aren't you gonna say anything to this no-good loser?”  
  
Sehun and Mark were spewing insults left and right.Chanyeol felt like on the brink of tears himself. Baekhyun didn't deserve this kind of treatment. He wanted them to leave him alone, to stop, to just stop everything.  
  
“Go back to brewing your potions and torturing people for fun Slytherin. I don't ever want to see your face ever again.”  
  
“Chanyeol...” but it was barely a whisper. Baekhyun felt his heart breaking in his chest and he ran away from the audience, from Sehun and Mark, from Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
He pushed through the crowd and ran, his tears dropping against the stone floor of the castle.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
Byun Baekhyun. He's been always on his mind lately; when he was awake, and even when he was asleep. He'd subconsciously look for him in the halls, to even just see him even from afar.  
  
  
  
During breakfast, Park Chanyeol's eyes drifted to the Slytherin table where Byun Baekhyun would be sitting, smiling a smile that bared his entire set of perfect, white teeth, his droopy eyes that turned to crescents whenever they'd crinkle. He wished he had binoculars so he could zoom in on Baekhyun's pretty face, his button nose and his teardrop shaped eyes; he turned once he saw that those same eyes were turning to look his way and faked a cough.  
  
_It's because I want to apologize to him._  He tries to reason with himself, but deep inside he knew he was just in pure denial.  
  
  
  
Still, Chanyeol remains trying to get Baekhyun's attention, his efforts doubling even more as days go by and Baekhyun's pretty smile is all he could think of. But as soon as his thoughts drift off to those thoughts, he immediately remembers how he was the one to break him, to wipe his smile off his face and he feels twice as much as an asshole he thought he was.  
  
Baekhyun was walking alone out of the castle and Chanyeol knew that it was his chance to apologize.  
It was now or never.  
  
He let Baekhyun walked before him and get himself settled before he came up to him.  
  
He couldn't get the chance though when Baekhyun turned to his side that his profile was all on view for Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
He was left breathless.  
  
  
  
He looked so… so beautiful. He didn’t look real.  
  
He quickly caught himself though and hid behind the trunk of the nearest tree so Baekhyun wouldn't see him.  
  
Baekhyun is just idly sitting by, textbooks in his arms. Baekhyun takes out his quill and other learning materials and just sits there in perfect harmony with himself and with nature. And Chanyeol thinks he's beautiful like this - his brown hair catching the sun perfectly, giving off the illusion that his hair was made of the purest gold (it might as well have been because Baekhyun was the finest jewel).  
  
He looked so beautiful, so exquisite, so out of place among Hogwarts' age-old buildilng, the murky lake, the dirty grass.  
  
Chanyeol realized he couldn't do this. Not like this at least. He can't even get two meters near Baekhyun without feeling the wild beating of his chest.   
  
Since he couldn’t come to Baekhyun, Baekhyun had to come to him. He had to make Baekhyun notice him.  
He tries doing all he can, even going back to his old ways – pulling pranks on the professors, planting goodies from Weasleys Wizard Wheezies onto unsuspecting victims, insulting innocents, left and right, just to lure Baekhyun into talking to him.  
  
But no matter what he did, Baekhyun still paid him no mind. He's done everything he could think of to catch Byun Baekhyun's attention but still, he never came to him.  
  
Chanyeol felt hopeless. What else could he do?!  
  
Suddenly he gets an idea that he knows would surely catch the brunette’s attention and finally start talking to him again.  
  
“Sehun, when’s our next game against Slytherin?”  
  
“Oh? Looking to redeem yourself, aye? Well it’s two weeks from now. You better start bringing your A-game to practice again Park.”  
  
“I know, I know.”  
  
  
  
In a hopeless effort to get Byun Baekhyun’s attention, he takes the enchanted quidditch balls from under his bed and prays to Merlin this works.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“And here they are folks! The Gryffindor quidditch team led by Team Captain, The Phoenix, Park Chanyeeeool! Following him is the…”  
  
The introductions followed by the loud cheers from the crowd could be heard but Chanyeol could barely hear it due to the heavy beating of his own heart.  
  
As soon as the balls were up in the air, the match had begun and Chanyeol could only pray it everything would go as planned.  
  
He played as well as he could, zipping around and shooting the quaffles into the hoops as if they were as light as air; no other chaser on that field could even compare. In his peripheral vision, he sees the bludgers going after the Slytherin players, they were deflected of course by their team’s beaters but they still kept coming back for them.  
  
It was obvious enough that they had been tampered with and Chanyeol hoped Baekhyun was watching and would notice it, and hopefully, confront him about it after the game.  
  
He can’t let himself be distracted this time around though so he focuses on winning the game.  
  
“And if you look over their folks it looks like the Slytherin seeker has caught sight of the snitch!”  
  
“Not so fast Jordan, the Gryffindor seeker is tailing right behind him!”  
  
It was a race to the death, and for a split second, everyone held their breaths as the seekers doubled the speed of their flying higher towards the sky.  
  
The Slytherin seeker – a Chinese kid named Sicheng was just about to grab hold of the snitch when a loud crash was heard from one of the Slytherin stands, turning back, someone looked to be unconscious and the stands were wrecked by the impact.  
  
“Oh my god!” Joanne screams into the microphone, the sound booming across the shock of many students.  
  
“Take him to madam Pomfrey! We need to help him!”  
  
Professor Im and Professor Gilmore were already on their way.  
  
Chanyeol went to see what had happened.  
  
Getting closer and closer, he saw that the victim was a Slytherin male with unruly black hair and pale skin - it was Kim Jongdae. On closer look, what seemed to have caused it was it was dark and black and kept moving in place, like it was trying to get out - it was one of the bludgers.  
  
Fuck. Chanyeol felt his blood run cold. He felt weightless and like he might fall off his broom at that second.   
  
What have I done?!?!  
  
“Shit! This was never supposed to happen.”  
  
"You’re right about that boy, it wasn't. Whoever messed with the bludgers is a felon. Now come on, help us get him to the hospital wing.”  
  
“O-of course Professor!”  
  
_I am so sorry Kim Jongdae._    
  
  
  
  
  
  
He never wanted to hurt anyone, it was just supposed to go after the players, never actually supposed to hurt anyone. I didn’t think this through and now an innocent bystander has just gotten hurt because of his impulsive, reckless, behavior.  
  
First Byun Baekhyun now Kim Jongdae, now Chanyeol feels even worse of an asshole than he already was.  
  
He rubs his eyes in exhaustion from the stress of carrying the burden of his mistakes.  
  
Utterly guilty about what happened to Kim Jongdae, Chanyeol stays even after the professors told him it was okay to go and that Kim Jongdae was in good hands, even when the nurses insisted that he leave.  
  
You crossed the line today Park.  
  
He sits there by the infirmary bed still in his mud-clad, weather-worn quidditch gear waiting for Kim Jongdae to wake up so he could apologize properly, before anyone else could come – he felt that his apology couldn’t wait any longer. So when Kim Jongdae stirred in his sleep and proceeded to sit up, Chanyeol didn't even call the nurses and went immediately for it, having never felt so guilty in his life before.  
  
“Park Chanyeol.” Jongdae noticed with narrowed eyes.  
  
“Kim Jongdae, I would like to apologize. This is all my fault.”  
  
  
  
“Look, I don't know what game you're trying to play at Park but I know what happened. I may not like you but it was the bludger that did this not you nor any other player on the pitch.”  
  
“You don't understand. The... bludger acted that way because of me. I was the one who put enchantments on it. It was never my intention to hurt you nor anyone else.” He huffs a sigh, “You're going to tell the Headmaster on me right?”  _I probably deserve this._  
  
"Park Chanyeol, I don't know what I have done to you and every single house out there, I don’t understand why you all treat me or the other Slytherins so badly but I- I can’t deal with you right now, I'm tired okay? So plea-"  
  
“Jongdae!” Byun Baekhyun's manic scream is heard from the doorway of the room and  immediately rushes to Jongdae's side. The boy of all his problems doesn’t even bat an eye at Chanyeol's hulking figure right beside him.  
  
“Jongdae I got here as soon as they’d let me!”  
  
Chanyeol waited but there was no recognition from the Slytherin Head Boy and he feels oddly out of place in a room. He was with Slytherins who used to be two of his favorite subjects for his  _jerk-ness_ , so he takes this as his cue to leave the room. He stays by the doorway though, to wait for Byun Baekhyun to come out.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
“Jongdae! It was Park Chanyeol who did this! That good for nothing ogre!”  
  
“I know Baek. He came to me and apologized.”  
  
“And? Jongdae his apologies mean nothing! Is that why he was in here?! What else did he say? I bet it was all rubbish.We have to tell the Headmaster this is too much! We h-“  
  
“Baekhyun. Don't. I don’t want to.”  
  
"Jongdae what is this nonsense you’re saying?! You can’t even feel your legs right now because of  _him_  and now you’re telling me you don’t want this reported to the Headmaster? This is why they keep stepping all over us.”  
  
"I don’t want him to get expelled. It’s done and over with. I'm tired, just go to common rooms and sleep okay? I’m fine now. And please, I don't want to hear this anymore. I don’t want you to speak of this to anyone at all. Please Baek.”  
  
“Jongdae…”  
  
“Baekhyun.”  
  
“Mr. Byun but I’d like to ask you to leave please. He needs to rest, you can have your catching up later.”  
  
“Y-Yes ma’am.” He says with a sigh.  
   
It had well been around thirty minutes since Baekhyun’s been in there but he couldn’t complain he knows Baekhyun’s waited seven long years for an apology, an explanation even.  
  
Baekhyun exits the doorway and turns to his left, uncaring about Chanyeol leaning against the walls beside it.  
  
“Baekhyun!”  
  
“Byun Baekhyun wait!”  
  
Baekhyun stops walking away from him and turns around. Chanyeol jogs to stand in front of him.  
  
“Baekhyun I-“  
  
“Fuck you Park Chanyeol.”  
  
“I know and I probably deserve that.”  Baekhyun rolls his eyes and turns to leave.  
  
“Wait! Wait I’d like to apologize before they send me out of the school. I know you’re going to tell on me so I’d like to get just one final word in. I’m really sorry for everything I’ve done. Truly, I’ve realized how much of an ass I was to you especially and you deserve none of that.”  
  
“Your apologies mean nothing to me. I think I’ve already made myself clear the first time you came to me and ‘apologized’.”  
  
“You don’t have to forgive me, I just – I want you to know that when I’ve – I’ve recalled all the horrible things I did in the past, I-I coudn’t even believe it was me. That I did all those things, I’m sorry. I just- I don’t know, I got carried away I guess. And I know that isn’t an excuse but I – I don’t know, I’m sorry.”  
  
Chanyeol’s jaw drops when Baekhyun starts laughing at him. “Isn’t that the biggest joke I’ve heard so far. Good one Park, five points to Gryffindor.” And he turns to leave again.  
  
“Wait!” He didn't know why he was so intent on getting Byun Baekhyun to forgive him.   
  
“You'll probably never going to forgive me but I-I will-“  
  
Baekhyun snickers at him stuttering, amused at how insufferable and pretentious he was - thinking he could simply just  _apologize_  for everything  and suddenly all would be well.  
  
“Off with you Park Chanyeol, I have a class to attend.”  
  
And he walks away leaving a dumb-founded Park Chanyeol behind.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yeol! Look what I can do!” Baekhyun shouts from the monkey bars, head dangling from his feet holding on.  
  
“Baek! Get down from there!”  
  
"Alright alright geez Yeol. No need to be such worrywart. I can take care of myself thank you very much." He said accentuating the last words.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
It was the start of a new day and Baekhyun at the entrance of the Great Hall arch ushering students into getting into their tables and stop lingering about as part of his Head Boy duties.  
  
On his back, he could feel pop-poppers exploding by his feet and on his robes, accompanied by the rowdy, boyish snickers who thought he couldn't notice.  
  
Baekhyun knew better than to fall prey to their tricks and feed their appetite for attention so he left them as they are, knowing they'd have to go to their tables sooner or later.  
  
“Hey.” A deep voice growled from behind him causing them to stop throwing the poppers into the air to hit Baekhyun.  
A boyish voice answered him back, “Oh my god. The Legendary Park Ch-chanyeol it's you, we're messing with Byun- “  
  
“Well stop it. Get to your tables Dray.”  
  
“We don't underst-“  
Whatever made them stop complaining Baekhyun didn’t know but suddenly he could hear them grumbling okays and yeses.  
  
 Upon passing him, Baekhyun caught sight of the troublemakers - a bunch of fourth years, no surprise there.  
  
They didn't even look at Baekhyun or attempted to mess with him when he was so close by.  
  
Chanyeol turned to where Baekhyun was standing only to find out he'd already left.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Byun Baekhyun was an odd little thing.  
  
  
  
He had small, droopy eyes, a rectangular smile, thin kitty lips, a very small face, and yet really big ears. If you pictured any of these features onto a blank face, they wouldn’t spell pretty at all, but with Byun Baekhyun, he was the most beautiful being in that entire school – heck even the most beautiful being he had ever seen.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol was staring at him from right across the hall, even with the multitude of students that threatened him from seeing such a wonderful sight of the pretty brunette he was chattering with all his might, his excitement showing in his entire face, and he was smiling so brightly, baring all his teeth.  
  
  
  
That was another thing that was odd about Byun Baekhyun, Chanyeol didn’t see him smile very often, but when he did it felt like the sun became a little bit paler and the world had a tad bit more color in it.  
  
  
  
Just staring at the cute, odd little thing made him realize how much he wanted that smile directed at him, because of him.  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol, hey Chanyeol.”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol should’ve listened to the voice that was calling him. But he didn’t for Byun Baekhyun shut his eyes and laughed, and he swears he could hear the ringing of his sing-song voice from all the way to their table.  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol.” Proceeded by a snapping of fingers right in front of his face.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol should’ve looked away by the calling of his friends, he really should’ve.  
  
  
  
Because right at that very moment, Baekhyun stopped laughing and turned his head – turned his head and looked at him dead in the eye. They maintained eye contact for a while until Chanyeol felt cold sweat take over his body and he was the first to look away. His face strangely heating up in a way he had never felt before.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
That little incident never stopped him though, for his  _thing_  he has for Baekhyun was just curiosity, for finally seeing him in a different light.  
  
  
  
His curiosity for Byun Baekhyun grew into his curiosity for the Slytherins.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol has quietly observed the Slytherins.  
  
  
  
He's observed how they were just like every other student at Hogwarts, they laugh at silly things, they talk with their friends; how they always looked so genuine when they were around each other.  
  
  
  
He's observed how they walk with their heads low when they are alone but stand straight back up when people come their way - it was like a front, a mean, scary-looking front, so they wouldn't be touched. They always wanted to appear strong even when they were getting laughed at, when they were getting humiliated.  
  
Chanyeol always thought the Slytherins were vicious, vile, human beings who'd burn you to ashes, but as he'd observed them now, he notices the flash of fear in their faces before they'd mask it with an immediate murderous expression when they hear the loud and mocking tone of people coming for them. It must have been something they learned from their older years, or something they've learned through experience themselves. It was wrong to do that to them and Chanyeol knew that now - he couldn't believe he used to be one of those people.  
  
  
  
He honestly didn't think it was right, some things needed to change.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After nights and night of getting dreams that were flashbacks of his past, Chanyeol starts recalling all his memories of Baekhyun before Hogwarts. His smile, his laugh, his corny jokes, the blush that would creep up on his face for no reason at all.   
  
Even back then, Byun Baekhyun was so beautiful.  
  
  
  
And he gets guiltier every time he remembers how much of a jerk he’s been to him. Baekhyun was his bestfriend for crying out loud! He’s always been the one to cheer him up and accompany him and yet, he betrayed him, let him down, used something he had no control over against him. He gained lots of friends then, but lost the only one that mattered.   
  
Baekhyun didn’t deserve anything that people were doing to him, he was the purest, brightest, and most understanding person he ever knew. He  _needed_  to make things better for Baekhyun, it’s what he deserves.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
It started with the younger years but gradually, have quickly escalated to even their own year classmates.  
  
Chanyeol would call out people from any house to stop any of the tricks they pulled on Baekhyun or any Slytherin for that matter. Maybe it was his formidable figure or just the fact that he was one of the most influential students at Hogwarts, people followed what he’d tell them to do even if they weren’t particularly fond of dismissing they’re childish acts.  
  
Gradually, the number of misfortunes that happened to the Slytherin students decreased a whole lot.  
  
Not all cases though as like what happened during Potions one day.  
  
“Yeol, check this out.” Sehun whispered to him once during potions. He was holding a toad in his left hand which he concealed in his robes and Chanyeol could already tell that he was up to no good.  
  
“It's a toad.”  
  
“Right?! It's a toad I found by the edge of the forest; he's a bit uh jumpy when it comes to water."  
  
"Sehun whatever the fuck you're planning on doing with that, I'm telling you right here and now, don't. do. it.”  
  
“Really? Nah, I think you might like this. Oh man this is gonna be hilarious.”  
  
Sehun then swiftly goes over to the tables where Baekhyun was, having no partner because Jongdae was still recovering in the hospital wing.  
  
“Hey Byun.”  
  
No answer.  
  
“Not speaking to me eh doll face? Anway, I've got a little gift for you.”  
  
“Experlliarmus!" Chanyeol yells while pointing his wand at him when he sees Sehun take the toad out of his robes.  
  
The toad jumps out of Sehun hands in a long and giant arch, ultimately landing in Maddie Robinson's boiling hot cauldron.   
  
  
  
The mixture explodes with a loud bang and coats the entire potions classroom with a sticky gooey paste that reeked of rotten eggs. It splattered onto everyone – including professor Im.  
  
“Park! Oh! Headmaster's right now!”  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Would any of you care to explain what you were doing with an exploding toad?” Professor Kwon leers at them, the cat-rimmed glass hanging off of her pointy nose.  
  
“Professor, I-I found it by the Forbidden forest. I was s-supposed to take it to the care of magical creatures sections s-so they could care for it.”  
  
She laughs at his explanation, a clear, unrelenting, glass-like laugh that has Sehun sinking into his seat.  
  
“They don’t make those frogs naturally in our corner Mr. Oh. Well anyways, not time for chit-chat, you know what you’ve done wrong so I guess there’s nothing left to say, is there?”  
  
An audible gulp could be hear resounding in the room; anticipation hanging thick in the air.  
  
“Don’t bother to think I’m letting you both easily though. A hundred points off of the  _both_  of you, and you’ll be helping Professor Hong cleaning out the slug tanks for two weeks since you like Care of Magical Creatures so much.” Wait, both, did she say  _both_?!  
  
“Pardon me professor but this was all Sehun’s doing, I was simply trying to stop him from causing any trouble.” Chanyeol debated.  
  
“Ah, which caused even more trouble, right?”  
  
“My word stands. You’ll be starting tomorrow and please do go or I’ll be taking you both off of the quidditch team. No excuses.”  
As soon as they left the Headmaster’s office, Chanyeol shoved Sehun as hardly as he could causing the platinum blonde male to almost lose his balance and tip over the railing.  
  
“What the fuck Sehun?! I can’t believe you dragged me into your fucking mess!”  
  
  
  
“ _My_  mess? Aren’t we supposed to torment the Slytherins _together?_  Isn’t that our fucking job description at this school? Other than being perfectly handsome of course but seriously what has gotten into you these days Chanyeol? You’re so not yourself.”  
  
“Maybe I’m tired of being a fucking asshole Hun. You should try it sometime.”  
  
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”  
  
“Have you ever thought that I might be doing this because those Slytherins probably don’t deserve it? We've been such assholes to them, and for what? We try to tell ourselves that it's fine that we set their essays on fire or that we push them into the lake because it looks funny, but it's not! It's unfair to them and I can't believe I've only just realized this now!”  
  
“Since when have you ever become the Slytherin’s miracle savior? Have you forgotten they’re the bad guys Yeol or are you just doing all this so you could bed that Byun kid? Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you stare at him.”  
  
“Shut the fuck up or I swear to god-“  
  
Chanyeol doesn't finish his statement and Sehun’s eyes follow Chanyeol’s line of sight and sees that Chanyeol was unabashedly staring at a familiar pretty faced brunette a few feet away from them. Chanyeol started walking towards him and Sehun knew that this conversation was over.  
  
  
  
“B-Baekhyun!” Chanyeol’s booming voice bounced off of the empty halls.  
  
A scowl appears on Baekhyun’s pretty face the second he hears Chanyeol call for him and Chanyeol thinks that such an expression like that doesn’t belong on his pretty face.  
  
Slightly panting a little from the jog he had to take to get to him, “Baekhyun I-“  
  
“Listen here Park Chanyeol, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing at – pretending to ‘help’ me and the other Slytherins but just stop it okay? We don’t need your pity, we certainly don’t need your help so just tell all your hooligan friends to just resume whatever they were doing before, okay?” His beautiful eyes shoot at him like daggers and Chanyeol feels the heavy hammering of his chest catching sight of such a captivating thing.  
  
  
  
“I-I was just trying to be kind please don’t misunderstand this as some sort of ploy really I-“  
  
“You? Trying to be kind? Save it. Park Chanyeol you. Will. Never. Change.” He enunciated every word and starts to walk away again and Chanyeol feels anger bubbling up in his stomach, tired of seeing Baekhyun’s retreating figure turned towards him, he wanted to see his face, his pretty smile that was never directed at him, he went after him again, just do anything to be near Baekhyun.  
  
“Baekhyun, wait!” and he runs right in front of the petite boy to prevent him from walking any further.  
  
“Baekhyun, I’ve been the biggest airheaded meatstick jerk for all our years here at Hogwarts, and I apologize for that really, I’ll never be able to make up for what I did I-“  
  
Baekhyun pushes past him, tired of all the bullshit he was hearing.  
  
“Baekhyun, I like you!” Baekhyun hears him yell.  
  
Fuck.   
  
Fuck did I really just fucking say that out loud.  
  
Baekhyun turns to him, confused and shocked by what he’s just said. He rolled his eyes, unconvinced by his stupid way of trying to get his attention.  
  
“I’m sorry, that wasn’t supposed to come out. J-just pretend I didn’t say anything and go.”  
  
  
  
“Oh shit man.” Sehun says from behind him.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
_Stop being an asshole?_  Psshh. What a load of bullshit.  
  
  
  
_I’m not an asshole, I’m just doing what’s right._  
   
   
   
   
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
While most listened to Chanyeol, out of sheer fear and others through respect, the same could be not be said for Chanyeol's bestfriend –  _former_ bestfriend at least.  
  
  
  
A crowd was circled around something. They could be heard laughing hysterically.  
  
  
  
Sehun was holding something gold and shiny up in the air, and in front of the strong and built male was a teary looking Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
“Give it back Sehun.”  
  
  
  
“I don't think that's going to happen sweet thing. I think I might keep this, it looks pretty enough, might have to clean it though, it was yours after all.  
  
  
  
“Sehun give it back!” He was shouting now, his voice cracking at the end.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun reached for his wand in his robes but Mark being quicker and stronger than he was wrestled him for it and took hold of his wand.  
  
  
  
“What do you think you were going to do with that wand Baekhyunnie?”  
  
  
  
“Aww he was trying to hit us!”Sehun said with so much sarcasm; the crowd loved it though.  
  
  
  
“Fucking give it back before I break your neck!”  
  
  
  
What the hell. Chanyeol wasn't just going to sit here and do nothing. He got closer to the scene to give Sehun a taste of his own medicine. Why this load of horseshit was once his bestfriend, he didn’t know.  
  
  
  
As Chanyeol drew nearer and nearer he noticed that the gold thing was actually a necklace - a gold necklace with a pendant that spun around even with the slightest of movements.  
  
  
  
His memory clicked into place and he got his senses together.  
  
  
  
“Baekhyun!” Jongdae and Kyungsoo and some other Slytherins shouted as the ran for him. They were the only Slytherins in view.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol stopped them though before they could do anything.  
  
  
  
“Don't. Let me handle this.”  
  
  
  
"You? Park Chanyeol? What a joke!”  
  
  
  
“Sehun is - was my friend, he'll listen to me whereas he'd probably break Baekhyun's wand if he so much as caught sight of you. He’d probably get Mark to break yours too.”  
  
  
  
He stepped into the middle of the clearing and spoke up for Baekhyun who was at a loss for words at the loss of his wand.  
  
  
  
“Oh Sehun, give it back.”  
  
  
  
“Oh, Chanyeol! I haven't heard from you in awhile, haven't seen you either.”  
  
  
  
“Sehun, cut the bullshit and just give him his necklace back.”  
  
  
  
“Oh? So you're defending him now? Whatever happened to the great ol' Park Chanyeol that even Godric Gryffindor would be proud of? Well folks, now he's fucking a  _Slytherin_  and that changes everything, I'm right aren't I?”  
  
  
  
“Sehun,” Chanyeol warned. He was careful to be cautious for Sehun had the necklace daggling in his hands and Mark had Baek's wand, it was a sticky situation.  
  
  
  
“What happened to you Yeol? I mean you used to be my idol! We were always the tandem of trouble remember? Me and you, always making these sorry Slytherins pay for what they did. You went from Gryffindor pride to Hogwarts disgrace so fast, I never would've seen it coming! I wonder what this little slut's got under those thick robes I b-“  
  
  
  
“Alarte Ascendare!” Chanyeol screamed. Sehun shoot into the air with the force of the spell, letting go of the necklace in the process. “Accio Necklace!” Chanyeol yelled.  
  
  
  
“Here. And tell a professor right away what’s going on down here.” And gave the necklace back to Baekhyun, and suddenly, the puppy-like boy was running to find a professor right away.  
  
  
  
Sehun came off his little trip and landed with a loud thump on the ground. The crowd was going wild.  
  
  
  
"How was the air up there Hun? Cool enough for you?"  
  
  
  
“Fuck you.” Before Chanyeol could react, Sehun had pulled out his wand and yelled, "Aqua Eructo!” which caused a forceful stream to hit Chanyeol right in the gut and caused him to stumble backwards. Some bystanders who were standing too close and taking pictures of the ordeal were also hit by the jet of water.  
  
  
  
“Oppugno!” The falling leaves shot straight for Sehun, sharp, pointed, and relentless.  
  
  
  
They went for it, spell after spell. Bystanders getting hurt in the process but no one dared to interrupt them, scared that getting into the crossfire might hurt them.  
  
  
  
“Expelliarmus!” Sehun managed to get a clean shot at Chanyeol, disarming him of his wand, leaving him powerless.  
Or so he thought.  
  
They were both clearly beaten down now, their robes had turned to rags, they had cuts all over, and Chanyeol felt as if he would pass out at any second.  
  
  
  
But when he saw the small smile Sehun had on his ugly face, he knew it wasn't over yet.  
  
  
  
Fuck wands. He'd just have to go the old-fashioned way.  
  
  
  
He ran straight for Sehun, tackling him to the ground. His right arm balled up into a fist and threw a hard punch at him, breaking his nose in the process.  
  
  
  
Sehun tried wriggling out, but having been born to a pure-blood family, he was clearly unfamiliar with the way muggles solved their problems.  
  
  
  
They wrestled on the ground with Chanyeol throwing punch after punch, pouring out all his anger and frustration with every meeting of his knuckles with Sehun's face.  
  
  
  
He could hear screaming in the background but he was too far gone in the assault. He was sick of how screwed up the world was; how the morals were all wrong and how innocent people were affected by the stupid system.  
  
  
  
“Everyone look here! This is what you all deserve! This is what you deserve for treating Slytherins like shit! For laughing at them, insulting them, ignoring them, this is what you all should get! I could beat the living daylights out of you all if I had to!” He shouted at the crowd, punching and punching Sehun in the process.  
  
  
  
There were people who were already injured on the ground from the duel they had but Chanyeol swears he didn't feel the least bit sorry.  
  
  
  
"Park! Oh! Headmaster's now!"  
  
  
  
He let the nearly unconscious body of Oh Sehun go and and walked with Mr. Im towards the office.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Because Sehun was on the brink of fainting, he was taken to the hospital wing first before they had The talk with Professor Kwon.  
  
  
  
He'd waited outside for the longest time, with Professor Im's stare burning holes into his head.   
  
  
  
"Professor Im I-" he wanted to explain but soon Sehun and his bruised up face arrived and they had to go to the Headmaster's now.  
  
  
  
He really did a number on Sehun, especially his face. He couldn't help but smirk, satisfied with the turnout – he was swollen and beat-up, both eyes were already sporting big black bruises that would last for weeks.  
  
  
  
Bastard deserved it anyway.  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
"Never have I seen such animalistic, brutal behavior in all the years I've been headmaster at this school."   
  
  
  
Professor Kwon began to rant about how this was not what was expected from students who attended the school; how this only happens in muggle schools.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol was tired of it, why she's the one yelling at him right now for his inexcusable behavior, he doesn't understand.  
“Why you would attack an innocent student who wasn't even instigating a fight with you I don't seem to understand Mr. Park.”  
  
  
  
“Innocent?! He's innocent? Pardon me professor but everyone at this school, him most especially has been terrorizing the Slytherin students for years and yet no one has done anything about it.”   
  
His voice was rising now, the anger clearly showing through.  
  
  
  
“They are ostracized, discriminated, humiliated, tormented, made fun of for the rest of their lives at Hogwarts yet you're all just sitting behind and watching, denying the very thing happening in front of your eyes! Probably thinking the same things too! Believing hearsay, stories passed down unto you. Shouldn't you know better? Shouldn't we all know better?!  
  
  
  
“I, myself was one of those people yet what you and the rest of the professors did? You dismissed it, sometimes you even rewarded me! When there was a complaint about me you would let it slide.  
  
  
  
“You should do something, you're the most powerful person at this school, yet you're a coward; you're afraid of doing something that is right that would make you unfavorable to the public, that would lose you some popularity votes, instead of doing what is right. You're gunning for the Ministry next year right? Figures.  
  
  
  
“Slytherin students have been the most diligent students at this school but they aren't given credit for anything. Harry Potter has done all he has to remove the taboo of the Slytherin house, yet everyone just loves to have a house to gang up on.  
  
  
  
“So punish me all you want professor, expel me, whatever just give them the justice they deserve. Remove this whole stigma of the Slytherin house or else I will tell everyone how much of a horrible Headmaster you have been, too cowardly and clearly, the opposite of what this very school stands for.”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol leaves the office, uncaring about Professor Im's shouts for him to come back, he leaves with his robe flapping after him.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
When he steps out, the sight that greets him was the last thing he expected, and unsurprisingly, made his heart beat faster even more.  
  
  
  
“Park Chanyeol.” Baekhyun calls out, startled by his surprise arrival. He was pacing back and forth with his head hung low at first.  
  
  
  
“I wasn't expecting you for another half hour.”  
  
  
  
“A-Anyway, I'd like to begin with an apology.”  
  
  
  
“Apology?! What no there's nothing for you to apologize for!”  
  
  
  
“No there is I-“ he looked around first, to check if anyone was spying on them. His paranoia was suddenly at an all time high.  
  
  
  
“C-can we go somewhere more private? I don’t think I could do this here.”  
  
  
  
“Sure Baek.”  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
“Wait where are we going?"  
  
  
  
“We're uh headed towards the astronomy tower. Nobody ever goes there.”  
  
  
  
“Ohh right. You like it up there, don’t you? That's where you go almost every night?”  
  
  
  
“Uh yes but how do you know th-“  
  
  
  
“I-uh...”  
  
  
  
“Ah you know what never mind.”  
  
  
  
“I'm sorry for not taking your apology seriously. I was just really very cautious, I wasn't really sure if I could trust you after um- everything in the past.”  
  
  
  
“But now I've seen that you really are genuine” he gestured to Chanyeol's tattered robes and his rugged appearance “so I kind of feel guilty now for getting you into this mess.”  
  
  
  
“I don't blame you, I wouldn't trust me either.”  
  
  
  
“And this wasn't your fault.” Chanyeol quickly followed up. “You had nothing to do with this. I did this on my own account. I was just so sick of people like Sehun – people like me stepping all over you just for the house that you're in, for baseless reason.What some people who've come from Slytherin done shouldn't define all of you at all, but in this society, it does and it makes me so fucking angry.”  
  
  
  
After walking for a couple of steps, they've reached the top of the astronomy tower where the stars – the fates, could be seen looking over them, twinkling in all their glory.  
  
  
  
They both leaned over the railing of the viewing deck and just stared up into the night sky.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol continues and looks down at Baekhyun, hoping he would see the sincerity in his eyes.  
  
  
  
“R-recently I've been getting these dreams, or more like flashes of my memory all coming back to me and they're all about the horrible things I've done to you and other people, that I never would've imagined myself ever doing them. I can't believe it took these visions for me to realize what a fucking asshole I am. I'm so ashamed. I-I’m really sorry for everything I've done for all these years. But ah apologizing now is a little too late right?”  
  
  
  
“N-no it's not!”  
  
  
  
“Good because this next one goes a long way back.”  
  
  
  
“I don't understand.”  
  
  
  
“Remember when we were in first year and you ran up to me, calling me and you were so happy? And I-I...”  
  
  
  
“Shh we don't have to talk about that. That was so long ago, it doesn’t matter now.” Baekhyun steps closer to him to console him.  
  
  
  
“No! It does! And I want to explain to you, it’s the least you deserve.”  
  
  
  
“Sehun and Mark they-they were saying all those mean things and they wouldn't stop so I-I gave in just so they'd shut up, I-I thought that it would be the end of it b-but it wasn't. An-and after all these years I got carried away I-I should've defended you but I was a coward I-ugh there's no excuse, Baek.”  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol- it's okay now that was years ago, don't beat yourself up over it. It wasn't entirely your fault too, you were taught wrong yet no one corrected you. But what matters is now okay?” And he smiles such a sweet and genuine smile that makes Chanyeol's heart burst into a million tiny bubbles. He hated how he was the one to suppress such a beautiful smile that could make flowers bloom.   
  
  
  
“H-how could you forgive me so fast?”  
  
  
  
“Who says I've forgiven you?” And Chanyeol's heart deflates. Baekhyun laughs at his somber expression.  
  
  
  
“It'll take some time Yeol, but as long as we're together it'll happen quicker right?” He says while taking Chanyeol's hand in his interlocking their fingers together. Chanyeol felt like he'd just died and gone up to heaven, it might as well have been the happiest moment of his life.  
  
  
  
The way his head cocks to the side and his eyes sparkle with a little tease, makes Chanyeol realize he was talking about one other thing that might happen quicker.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol's jaw dropped.  
  
  
  
“Wha-? No not that you pervert!”  
  
  
  
“Oh- ohhh...”  
  
  
  
He said, his heart still hammering in his chest.  
  
  
  
“I like you.” Chanyeol says to Baekhyun – some  _confession Park, smh_.  
  
  
  
“I know.” Baekhyun says with the sweetest smile –  _ugh, Park Chanyeol you are screwed._  
  
  
  
“Fuck Baek I-I have no words. I-... Canukizhu?”  
  
  
  
He messed his wording up, after all he can't believe he was finally hearing the go signal from Byun Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
“You're speaking gibberish, try again.”  
  
  
  
“Canishoo?”  
  
  
  
“I still don't understand you~”  
  
  
  
"Canikissyou?"  
  
  
  
“Ugh just kiss me Chanyeol!”  
  
  
  
And Chanyeol latched his lips onto Baekhyun's a split second after. He kissed him without holding back his emotions - he poured every lov- _like_  he had for the small brunette into his small mouth.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun's lips were the softest he's ever kissed, his thin kitty lips slotting with his so wonderfully that his stomach did cartwheels on the inside.  
  
  
  
He wanted him close, so close, Chanyeol removed his hand from Baekhyun’s and put one arm around his waist and another cupping his soft cheek. Baekhyun's hands immediately found their way to Chanyeol too, one hand on his sturdy chest and the other tangled in his silver hair.  
  
  
  
They kissed so passionately - not messy and perverse but with so much emotion and feeling. Them molding into one.  
It was Baekhyun who pulled away first, gasping for breath with the activity. Chanyeol found him so adorable trying to get a sufficient amount of oxygen back into his lungs.  
  
  
  
“Finished?” He asked Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
“With wh-“  
  
  
  
He didn't get to finish however because Chanyeol had immediately attached his lips back onto his, not having enough of Baekhyun's sweet lips just yet; he thinks he'll probably never get enough of his intoxicating taste.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol swiped his tongue on Baekhyun's lower lip, asking for entrance to which he granted, unknowingly though since he gasped at the action. Chanyeol never missed a great opportunities so he wasted no time shoving his tongue in Baekhyun's mouth, tasting his delicious cavern and tangling his wet muscle with Baekhyun's.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun moaned at what Chanyeol’s god-sent tongue was doing inside his mouth, whipping it around and lapping up the roof of his mouth. It felt so good that it caused Baekhyun to tighten his grip in Chanyeol's locks.  
  
  
  
Slowly he tried fighting the tongue with his own too and Chanyeol tightened his grip around his waist.  
  
  
  
“Fuck... Baekhyun.” he groaned that sent his blood rushing south.  
  
  
  
It was such a wet and dirty kiss, completely unlike the first they shared but with just as much emotion that at that moment they could only think of each other.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun felt one of Chanyeol's rough hand remove itself from around his waist to go down to cup his right ass cheek.  
“Fuck, nice ass you have, baby.” Chanyeol groans into Baekhyun's mouth.  
  
  
  
They're so caught up with their lewd activity that Baekhyun stops them when he is shaken out of the delicious intimacy when he feels something rock hard pressing against his stomach.  
  
  
  
“Woah there!” Baekhyun said as they pulled away both gasping for breath.  
  
  
  
“I-I...” Chanyeol blushed. He'd never been embarrassed by getting a hard on before but how Baekhyun was looking at him made him want to cave in.  
  
  
  
“We'll save that for some other time?” Baekhyun asked, though not really a question that had to be answered.  
   
“Yeah yeah! Sure! Of course! When you’re ready!”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun laughed at him stumbling over his words and Chanyeol thinks that even when they're out here among millions of stars the brightest ones are in Baekhyun's eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yesterday, a very immoral, immature, occurrence happened on our grounds. Such disrespect was brought unto to the very motto of the school that our founding fathers have given their last breaths on.” Professor Kwon started at dinner in the Great Hall the next day. Hushes and whispers could be heard from the students while some looked at Chanyeol's and Sehun's direction, giggling. Chanyeol rolled his eyes he couldn't believe the Headmaster was actually pretending like she actually cared.  
  
  
  
“But because of it, a certain issue has been brought to light.” Chanyeol's ears perked up; now he was listening.  
  
  
  
“Discrimination, bullying, they were always hidden under the surface, everyday Slytherin students in particular are being punished severely for the bad decisions made by the people who hailed from their house before. They are getting defined by the house they come from when others have had bad seeds of their own.  
  
  
  
“Everything that you hear about them have all come from hearsay and words told to you before and it is with great disappointment that you have allowed it to control you without thinking for yourselves first.  
  
  
  
“All of these I realized I have overlooked and it is because of my negligence that this has been given least priority at our school. But because of a certain Park Chanyeol, who opened my eyes to what I have chosen to ignore, I have thoroughly looked at the situation and have decided to make a change in this very school.  
  
  
  
The whispering, the laughing, they all stopped, terrified of what Professor Kwon would be saying next.  
  
  
  
“Any student who is caught talking foul, bullying, discriminating another will immediately face the weight of their actions; for those who have committed the offenses before, we are already tracing the leads back. This is not an empty threat. As a school who has sent out the best wizards, it is our responsibility to make sure that we instill only the just and righteous values unto you. To the Slytherin House, I salute you for showing true resilience to your adversities and this may not be enough to make up for whatever has happened to you, but I hope this is one step into bringing you all and others who’ve come before you, justice. Enjoy your supper everyone!  
  
  
  
No chatter happened at all, Chanyeol wanted to laugh, now they cared.  
  
  
  
When the plates have cleared and students were now getting up to return to their common rooms, Chanyeol rushes to Baekhyun right away, seeing him lead Slytherin students back to the dungeons.  
  
  
  
“Baek!”  
   
“Baekhyun!”  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol, oh hi!”  
  
  
  
“Listen, I'm sorry I didn't meet up with you this morning or the entire day at all, I overslept and just didn't feel like getting up at all. I reckoned I might be expelled but with the Headmaster's speech earlier I think that wouldn't be likely. B-but I did really want to see you though!” The whole time Chanyeol was blabbering his mouth off, Baekhyun just looked at him with a really loving smile on his face, finding him adorable when he talked when he was nervous.  
  
  
  
“It's nothing. I was really busy today too. Studying for the NEWTs and all.”  
  
  
  
“Oh right. The NEWTs... I've completely forgotten.”  
  
  
  
“You're an idiot. You're going to fail everything if you don't start studying now.”  
  
  
  
“God, yeah, shit. I-I don't know where to start.”  
  
  
  
“I could tutor you, if you'd like.” He said with a wink while linking their arms together.  
  
  
  
“I like the sound of that.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyday seems to be getting better and better for the Slytherin house. Though there were some still giving them the stink eye, they never touched them anymore, other students from other houses have finally begun to socialize with them, even apologizing for treating them like trash.  
  
Chanyeol and Baekhyun were sitting by the Willow Tree by the Great Lake, Chanyeol leaning against the tree and Baekhyun leaning against him, his back pressed against the giant's toned chest. Books and parchments were scattered around them as per Baekhyun's promise to tutor him  
  
  
  
It had well been over four weeks but it was the first time Chanyeol told him the story of his outbreak inside the Headmaster's office.  
  
  
  
“You what?!”  
  
  
  
"You actually told her that?!"  
  
  
  
“Yeah well, not like I rehearsed it or anything, it just came out and I couldn't stop myself. It felt good to say it all though. Don't regret a single thing.”  
  
  
  
“Well how could you? I mean look around - this is most peaceful Hogwarts has been since Harry Potter overthrew Lord Voldemort.”  
  
  
  
“Shhh- shouldn't you like not be saying his name?!” Chanyeol hisses at him and puts a hand over his mouth.  
  
  
  
“It's been years Yeol, c'mon. But yeah really, other students have been opening up more, they're friendlier, more accepting, it's a great leap from where we were before.”  
  
  
  
“Baek, I-I'm sorry I-“  
  
  
  
“Shhh Chanyeol you don't have to keep apologizing for that now okay? I forgive you. Aren't my kisses enough of an indication?”  
  
  
  
“Of course they are.”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol leans in to peck at his pink lips.  
  
  
  
“You know, it was you under this same Willow tree studying that first made my heart race.”  
  
  
  
“You're cheesy Yeol. Stop it!” He says in mock disgust, his bright smile clearly giving away his true feelings.  
  
  
  
“You sitting here, reading your books, studying your lessons, I've watched you a couple times you know, sorry for being a stalker.”  
  
  
  
“How did I never know about this?!”  
  
  
  
“You were buried too deep into your books that you didn't notice the school's sex god watching you from afar, thinking of doing th-“  
  
  
  
“Okay! Okay! Stop it! I'm drawing the line here Park!”  
  
  
  
“What line? Is it over here?” He pokes at Baekhyun's left ridge which caused him to jerk.  
  
  
  
“Or is it over here? Or here?” He pokes at Baekhyun until he's eventually tickling him at his sides, his beautiful laughter blessing his ears.  
  
  
  
They share a few kisses until it starts drizzling.  
  
  
  
“Oh it's drizzling we better get inside.” Baekhyun says, pushing him off and gathering his things.  
“Aw I like the rain!”  
  
  
  
“Yeah well my books would like to say otherwise.”  
  
  
  
“Um Baek, we can do  _magic_ , there’s a spell that’d be so easy to fix them if they ever get wet.”  
  
“Yeah well I don’t feel like wasting my magical energy on  _drying my books_ so come on.”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol helps him pack their things as they head back to the castle, before the rain starts pouring and they'll be drenched. Chanyeol doesn't think it'd be that bad of an idea though.  
  
  
  
Fingers intertwined, Chanyeol asks what might as well be the dumbest wuestion he's asked that day - because Chanyeol asks a lot of dumb questions. “Isn't Slytherin's element water, can't you like I don't know control the rain or something?”  
  
  
  
“Really Chanyeol? Are you seriously asking me that question.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes and looks at him like he's the biggest idiot on the planet.  
  
  
  
“I'm curious!”  
  
  
  
“Well then Gryffindor's element is fire can you control fire?”  
  
  
  
“Funny you should ask that.” Chanyeol says. Baekhyun is confused for a moment when Chanyeol reaches into the cardigan, pulling something out by a metal chain around his neck.  
  
  
  
What Chanyeol pulls out looks eerily familiar - it was a small lighter with a phoenix emblem on top.  
  
  
  
“Hey that's-“  
  
  
  
“Remember when you said that with magic and proper wizard training I'd be able to control the flame?”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun gasps and covers his mouth with his free hand. “What? No, th-that's extremely hard to do!”  
  
  
  
“Well I've learned it for years so...”  
  
  
  
He pulls on the lighter for the flame and out bursts a series of colors. Chanyeol holds his hand out and conjures the flame into forming something a little more different.  
  
  
  
He shapes the dancing flames into a figure of a heart, and in the middle was “BH <3 CY”  
  
  
  
“Oh pleeeassse... Park Cheeseyeol.”  
  
  
  
“Hey! It's the best I could do in such short notice!” He defended.  
  
  
  
“I never dared you to do anything.”  
  
  
  
“You were questioning my abilities.”  
  
  
  
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”  
  
  
  
“Right I’d rather put something else in there.”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun can literally feel his eyes rolling to the back of his skull. He’s had enough of his dramatic pervert of a boyfriend (not really), and turns him away when he leans in for a kiss.  
  
  
  
After some time of walking in comfortable silence, Baekhyun speaks up first.  
  
  
  
“I didn't think you'd still have it.”  
  
  
  
“I've been wearing it everyday for the past years. I never really had the heart to throw it away.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun and Chanyeol's last months at Hogwarts consisted of breaking into the restricted section of the library, brewing potions in the dungeons where they so happened to spot a fifth year Do Kyungsoo snogging with a certain Kim Jongin, exploring the Forbidden Forest doing forbidden things, hot, steamy, loud, er 'sexual experiences' (Baekhyun's coined term) in the comfort of the Room of Requirement, and a lot more fun-filled adventures that it was Chanyeol who had to remind Baekhyun that  _he_  was the Slytherin Head Boy himself and could be relieved of his title.  
  
  
  
“It's my last year here anyway.” He'd always reply to which Chanyeol would just laugh and shake his head.  
  
  
  
It also consisted of late night tutoring sessions by Baekhyun for Chanyeol which never really got them that far because somehow they always ended up tangled in each other's limbs and lips-locked together.  
  
  
  
Soon enough, the school year was over and it was the last night they had at Hogwarts before they packed their bags and set off to the working world.  
  
  
  
When Baekhyun and Chanyeol were walking hand in hand going to the Great Hall bickering about whether Professor Im or Professor Hong would confess first in their little cat and dog chase, someone tapped on their shoulders which caused them to pause their little debate.  
  
  
  
When the turned around, it was the last person they’d expect to come close to them.  
  
“Oh-Oh Sehun. It’s um nice to see you around.” Baekhyun said first.  
  
  
  
“What do you want Sehun?” removing his hand from Baekhyun’s and slinging his arm around Baekhyun, overprotectively.   
“Listen, I- I came here to apologize. Please just hear me out first.  
  
  
  
“I feel so bad for what I’ve done to you, to you Baekhyun most especially. I was the biggest jerk ever and I really feel like I deserve every single one of those punches Chanyeol and every single toad everyone attempted to shove in my mouth every morning while I was asleep. I know this doesn’t make up for all I’ve done but I-I hope we can b-be friends? If it’s okay with you?” and Oh Sehun holds his hand out for a handshake.    
  
What he got though was one he didn’t expect. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had suddenly hugged him and were rubbing at his back.  
  
  
  
“Of course we forgive you Hunnie! That’s all behind us now! Please don’t sulk anymore, it’s our last day here and we want to leave with happy memories right?” Baekhyun said in the most cheerful voice ever.  
  
“Welcome back Hun.”  
  
  
  
“Now, let’s go off to dinner!”  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dinner had finished and Baekhyun was at the astronomy tower looking up at the stars, comforting his melancholic heart. How satiric that they shined so bright on a painful night like this.  
  
  
  
“It's a beautiful night.” A very familiar deep voice said from beside him. Baekhyun couldn't hide the smile on his face, not when he turned his head and Chanyeol was already sporting his heart-wrenching smile.  
  
  
  
He walked forward and kissed the petite male on the lips, their lips molded into one for a second.  
  
  
  
“Not as beautiful as you though.” Chanyeol said with a slight pat Baekhyun's butt.  
  
  
  
“Cheeseyeol.”  
  
  
  
For a while they stood there in silence. Chanyeol's arm wrapped around Baehyun's waist while Baekhyun restted his head on Chanyeol's shoulder. It felt so comfortable and so at peace until Chanyeol broke the silence.  
  
  
  
“Baby, I need to tell you something.”  
  
  
  
Baekhyun pulled away at Chanyeol's serious tone.  
  
  
  
“What do you want to tell me?”  
  
  
  
“The English national team called my mom this morning. They - uh - they want me to play for them. I mean train for a couple months first and then I could play for them as one their starting chasers.”  
  
  
  
“Wow! The English National Team?! That's that's great Yeol! By next year you could actually play in the Quidditch World Cup!” Baekhyun said excitedly and wrapped his arms around Chanyeol. They embraced for awhile until Chanyeol pulled away.  
  
  
  
“Baek- here me out first okay?” He said in the most sombre tone that had Baekhyun immediately thinking the worst. Of course he was going to break up with him; he had to out his career first - of course Baekhyun understood. It didn’t stop the tears collecting at his eyes though.  
  
  
  
“I-I understand.”  
  
  
  
“I haven't even said anything yet.”  
  
  
  
“Chanyeol, you don't need to. I understand that we both have to focus on our career and we can't have any distractio-“  
  
  
  
“What?! No! No! That wasn't what I was gonna say at all!” He puts his hands on Baekhyun's shoulders.  
  
  
  
“Baekhyun look at me.” He raised Baekhyun's chin up to look at him; Baekhyun's tears were already shining in his eyes and Chanyeol felt dumb for his approach to this.  
  
  
  
“Since I'm gonna be in England and I didn't want us to be far apart... I was thinking that maybe you could come with me?”  
“Wh-what?”  
  
  
  
“I know it sounds too abrupt but listen please.”  
  
  
  
It was nothing like Baekhyun imagined at all, he imagined that he'd be leaving Hogwarts with a broken heart.  
  
  
  
“I already looked it up and England has one of the best astrology institutions! And we have our savings right? We could make it together plus the team will be paying me too so we don't have to worry about whether we'll starve to death.”  
  
  
  
“Awww Yeol I-I don't know what to say!”  
  
  
  
“Well, you could say yes. Just please say yes, say that you'll come with me.” He grasped Baekhyun's dainty fingers in his hand and peppered kisses all over them.  
  
  
  
“Of course I'll come with you!” And Baekhyun threw his hands around Chanyeol to hug him tight. He buried in face in Chanyeol's chest.  
  
  
  
“Fuck! Thank you Baek! Thank you so much! I-I love you.”  
  
  
  
That caused Baekhyun to remove himself from Chanyeol.  
  
  
  
“Wha-what?”  
  
  
  
Fuck.  
  
  
  
“Fuck. I'm so sorry Baek it just came out! I-I wasn't supposed to confess like this! You you don't have to say you love me back or anything if you aren't ready I don't want to force you into saying something you don't want to say -"  
  
  
  
He was interrupted by a chaste kiss on his lips.  
  
  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
  
  
And Chanyeol felt like he was gonna cry.  
  
  
  
“R-really?!”  
  
  
  
"I just said it Yeol."  
  
  
  
And Chanyeol caught his lips that were smiling so prettily with his again. This kiss not to chaste.  
“I think we better get to the Great Hall. I heard the Professor's throwing a grand party or something.”  
  
  
  
And together they walked hand in hand. The fates were right after all.  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂǂ  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
Baekhyun and Chanyeol soon move into their London home. One very close to Chanyeol’s quidditch training grounds yet also very close to Baekhyun’s astrology college.  
  
  
  
After putting things in order, they were drenched in sweat and grime and they badly just wanted to rest.  
  
  
  
Even through all the ups and downs they’ve faced through together, they find their love for each other only growing, growing inside of themselves and inside of each other. That no matter what happened and what may happen, they’ll always find themselves back together, with each other, because that’s where they belong.  
  
  
  
“Oh shit. I think I left something back outside. Wait for me?”  
  
  
  
“Where else would I go, idiot?” he was too tired to move a muscle, he probably could’ve just closed his eyes and slept.  
  
  
  
When Chanyeol came back, he didn’t seem to be bringing anything with him so he wonders if Chanyeol just forgot to bring it or he forgot he actually already did bring it in.  
  
  
  
He’s given the shock of his life though when it’s neither and Chanyeol is suddenly kneeling down on one leg in front of him, carrying a tiny navy blue box.  
  
  
  
Baekhyun was suddenly more awake than ever.  
  
  
  
“Baek, I… I know this is too abrupt but I-I keep thinking about my life – about my future over and over again, and I- I can’t to think of anything without you in it. I can’t see myself without you beside, it’s-it’s like you complete me somehow and I don’t ever want to be apart with you. You make me so happy, Baek, you don’t understand. You inspire me everyday, and you make my heart feel like it’s too small to hold in how much love I have for you; nothing will never be able to hold in how much love I have for you. I want to make you smile, make you happy, make you feel like the most loved person on earth, I want to protect you. Ah I love you so much. I know we’re still young and you don’t have to say yes but I- I have to ask you this Baek. W-will you marry me?”  
  
  
  
He opens the small box and inside was the most beautiful ring he’s ever seen. The band was silver and where there were supposed to be a stone, there were  _stones_  – sparkling shimmering stones, so many tiny little ones twinkling at him like a thousand bright stars. Even in the dim light, it was the most beautiful ring he’d ever seen.  
  
  
  
“Yeol… I – I love you too. And I… yes.”  
  
  
  
“Yes?”  
  
  
  
“Yes, I’ll marry you! I don’t ever want to be apart with you too. You make my heart feel like bursting everyday too. You complete me too. I love you.”  
  
  
  
“Oh my god! Thank you Baek! I love you so much!” Chanyeol says, his shaky hands taking the ring out of the box and putting it on Baekhyun’s ring finger – it was a perfect fit.  
  
  
  
He picks Baekhyun up and Baekhyun immediately wraps his legs around him and they kissed – long and hard. It was the most intimate kiss they’ve ever shared; so full of raw emotion, feelings of love and trust and faith could be felt with every move of their lips against each other’s. It was the kind of kiss that stirred something in you, like you could do it forever, and Baekhyun and Chanyeol both felt like they could, like they could forever stay in each other’s arm like that. It was so powerful that it had Baekhyun crying.  
  
  
  
“Hey baby, why are you crying?” Chanyeol said, wiping the tears off of Baekhyun’s face. He didn’t look sad though, he had a smile on his face yet his eyes couldn’t stop producing tears.  
  
  
  
“I’m sorry I-I just love you so much. I can’t believe this, really.”  
  
  
  
“Aww, you’re too cute. I can't believe this either!” He says while pinching his nose.  
  
  
  
 “Stop it! I was thinking, wanna get some ice cream? To celebrate this very historic moment?”  
  
  
  
Chanyeol smiles at his lover’s super excited tone, his cute eyebrows raised in excitement.  
  
  
  
“Sure love!” how could he say no to his two most favorite things in the world?  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
END.  ♡  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Wew! So there it is, my 25.9k monster lol. If you’ve read up until here, thank you so much for reading the whole thing! 
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> This is going to be a really long author’s note hehehe
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> In this fic, I reeeaaally wanted to point out the values of fates are stars, point out forgiveness, persistence, acceptance, understanding.
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> Firstly, this was really hard to do, since I had initially been writing for a different prompt, but then a little over a month before the final deadline, I decided that I really didn’t feel the story anymore so I switched to this instead! I had worked on this during final exams, during flights, while working on my projects and papers, while even waiting for EXO’rDIUM in MNL to start! It had been such a wild ride and I was really worried that I might have to drop out of BAE, but because of some people (you know who you are) who’ve supported me, I managed to finish this!
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> Secondly, I wrote this because of someone who’s always prided herself to be a Slytherin, I’ve always found it unfair how literally EVERYONE, ganged up on my house – even JKR herself in the books. I wrote this so people would understand or at least know what goes on in the heads of Slytherins who are always being bullied, harassed, tormented, etc. it isn’t right that everyone just “goes with the flow” of society for the very reason that “it’s just how it is.” Of course this doesn’t apply to just Slytherins, because that would be really shallow of me, this is like a fictional take on society as of now, for those who are bullied, harassed, discriminated everyday for something that they didn’t even do, had no control of.
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> Thirdly, Chanyeol, Sehun and everyone else, they’re all bullies and there is no excuse for their behavior, but I really wanted to point out how they continued doing what they did, because no one ever corrected them – they were misguided at a very early age and no one ever taught them better. Yes, they are mean and they are assholes but it’s not because they’re really just mean people, but it’s because when you teach young kids things, especially when you’re someone they trust, at an early age, it sort of brainwashes them, making them think it’s the right thing to do/think, making them think it’s the only thing they could do/think. This is not to say that what “problematic” kids/teens/adults do is excusable in any way, it’s to say that there is a way for us to understand these kind of people better and be able to teach them so that they learn and become better, more efficient people in society. Everyone deserves a chance. ^^
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> I sort of gave some signs earlier in the fic about what would happen, I hope you caught on to those! And I know that this was really confusing and all, so please feel free to message me to clear things up for you! 
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> So, thank you once again and please love Chanbaek and support them! Sorry for my really cheesy ending, but I’m such a sucker for happy endings. Have a nice day everyone! ~N 
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> P.S. yes the stars are the fates lol


End file.
